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.^^H  ^  Fart 

^H  Z  '  ADDieOiV  ALEXANDER  LIBRART,  ♦ 

^Hp  fj  which  .was  presented  by  /| 

^Mf  V  Mkusrs.R.  L.  AND  4.  Stuart.  i| 

BX  6346  .H6  1847 
Howell,  Robert  Boyte 
Crawford,  1801-1868. 
frhe  deaconship 


THE 


DEACONSHIP 


BY 
ROBT.  BOYTE  C.  HOWELL,  D.D. 

PASTOR  OF  THE  FIRST  BAPTIST  CHURCH,   N.VSHVILLE,   TENI 

Author  of  "  Sacramental  Communion,"  &c. 


"  They  that  have  used  the  office  of  a  Deacon  well,  pur- 
chase  to  themselves  a  good  degree,  and  great  boldness  in 
the  faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus." — Paul. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

AMERICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION   SOCIETY. 

1847. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1846,  by 

W.    W.    KEEN, 

Treasurer  of  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  in  the 
Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Eastern  District  of 
Pennsylvania. 


George  Charles,  Stereotyper,  1  ^, „       .  ™  .,   ,  ,  , . 

^  '  J- No.  9  George  Street,  Philadelphia- 

King  &  fliird.  Printers,     j 


DEDICATION. 


To  the  Deacons  of  all  the  Baptist  churches 
throughout  the  United  States  of  America,  this  little 
volume  is  respectfully  dedicated,  by  their  obliged 
brother, 

The  Author. 


•THSOLOGIOili^ 


PREFACE, 


A  valued  friend  and  brother,  lately  soli- 
cited from  me,  an  article  on  the  Deacon- 
ship,  for  publication  in  a  Quarterly,  which  is 
under  his  editorial  direction.  About  the 
same  time  my  own  beloved  church  decided 
to  appoint  several  additional  deacons,  and 
called  upon  me  for  such  instruction  as  might 
be  necessary  to  guide  them  in  their  proceed- 
ings. My  attention  was  thus  specially  called 
to  the  subject,  and  I  determined  to  give  it  a 
thorough  re-investigation.   To  write  a  book 

formed  no  part  of  my  design.   As,  however, 
1*  5 


PREFACE. 


my  examinations  extended,  my  convictions 
of  the  importance  of  the  office  were  increas- 
ed. I  turned  to  my  library  for  aid  to  direct 
me,  but  could  find,  there  or  elsewhere, 
almost  none.  Bodies  of  Divinity,  Diction- 
aries of  the  Bible,  and  Commentators,  fur- 
nished me  a  few  short  articles,  but  I  found 
them  all  defective,  both  in  the  amount  of 
thought  bestowed  upon  them,  and  the  con- 
clusions at  which  they  arrived.  With  the 
word  of  God  before  me,  I  continued  to  write 
until  the  substance  of  the  following  chap- 
ters was  produced.  I  am  surprised  to  find 
that  no  work,  indeed,  that  nothing  valuable, 
so  far  as  I  know,  has  been  published  on  the 
Deaconship,  either  in  England  or  America. 
I  have  not  the  vanity  to  suppose  that  the 
following  pages  will  supply  the  deficiency ; 
nevertheless,  at  the  suggestion  of  intelligent 
and  judicious  brethren,  I  have  thrown  the 
result  of  my  examinations  into  the  form  of 


PREFACE. 


a  volume,  and  now  submit  them  to  the  puh- 
Hc  eye.  I  have  taken  this  step  with  great 
deference,  but  in  the  hope,  and  with  the 
earnest  prayer,  that  it  may  be  accompanied 
with  the  blessing  of  God. 

RoBT.  BoYTE  C.  Howell. 
Nashville,  Tenn.  Feb.  21,  1846. 


..r^^^^^^&^ 


1.1  Vr;„-.> 


SECOND  EDITION. 


The  first  edition,  containing  a  thousand  copies, 
has  been  sold  in  six  months.  The  work  has 
received  many  commendations.  At  the  close 
of  the  present  edition,  will  be  found  editorial 
notices  from  the  "  Christian  Review,"  and  "  Bap- 
tist Memorial,"  and  the  opinion  of  the  Editor  of 
the  widely  circulated  "  Encyclopedia  of  Religious 
Knowledge." 

With  increased  confidence  in  the  adaptation 
of  this  volume  to  the  wants  of  the  churches,  it  is 
sent  forth  in  reliance  upon  the  blessing  of  the 
Head  of  the  Church. 

T.  S.  Malcom, 

Cor.  Secretary, 

Philadelphia,  December  15,  1846. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER.!. 

THE  NATURE  OF  THE  DEACONSHIP. 

Definition  of  the  term  Deacon — Variety  of  opinions  in 
relation  to  it — Our  own  doctrine  and  practice — History 
of  the  origin  of  the  Deaconship — Perpetuation  of  the  office 
— The  injury  of  diverting  it  from  its  original  design,       13 

CHAPTER  n. 

THE    QUALIFICATIONS    FOR   THE    DEACONSHIP. 

The  conjugal  relations  of  the  candidate — His  general 
reputation — His  religious  character — His  orthodoxy — His 
intellectual  endowments — His  government  of  his  family, 
and  general  conduct  of  his  own  temporal  affairs,      .      34 

CHAPTER  m. 

THE    FORMS   OF   ELECTION,   AND   ORDINATION    TO   THE 
DEACONSHIP. 

By  whom  deacons  are  to  be  elected — Each  separate 
congregation   a  true    church — Every  church  independ- 

9 


10  CONTENTS. 

ent — Instructions  before  election— Manner  of  election- 
Checks  and  balances  in  government — Ordaining  form — 
Instructions  after  ordination — Duty  of  adhering  to  Apos- 
tolic forms, 57 

CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  GENERAL  DUTIES  OF  DEACONS. 

Not  to  preach — Not  to  administer  ordinances — Not  to 
govern,  except  in  their  ovi^n  department — They  are  placed 
over  temporal  affairs — Their  relation  to  the  regular,  and 
incidental  expenses  of  w^orship — To  the  poor  of  the 
church 70 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE  DUTIES  OF  DEACONS    WITH   REFERENCE  TO  THEIR 
PASTORS. 

Necessity  of  pastoral  support — The  law  which  governs  it 
•—The  teachings  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles — Apostolic 
practice — Reason  and  justice — Importance  of  a  full  un- 
derstanding betweenPastor  and  Church,  .        .      90 

CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  MEANS  OF  CREATING  AND  SUSTAINING  THE 
NECESSARY  REVENUES  IN  THE  CHURCH. 

Revenues  are  indispensable. — The  law  of  God  on  this 
subject. — Its  excellent  characteristics — The  superintend- 
ence necessary  in  its  execution — It  is  sufficient  for  all 
purposes — Recapitulation — Importance  of  stated  and  re- 
gular meetings  of  the  Deacons,         .        .        .        .110 


CONTENTS.  11 

CHAPTER  VII. 

DEACONESSES. 

Female  assistants  to  the  Deacons  existed  in  the  primitive 
churches — References  to  them  by  Ecclesiastical  Histo- 
rians— By  early  Christian  ■s\Titers — By  the  Scriptures — 
Are  they  necessary — Their  qualifications — Their  duties — 
They  are  virtually  employed  in  our  own  churches — Practi- 
cal conclusions, 124 

CHAPTER  Vni. 

THE     DUTY     OF     THE     CHURCHES,  AND  THE  MINISTRY 
TO    CO-OPERATE    WITH    THE    DEACONS. 

Three  departments  in  the  Church — Their  mutual  de- 
pendence— Co-operation  of  the  Church  with  the  Deacons — 
Of  the  ministry  with  the  Deacons — Their  responsibilities 
— The  consequences — Motives  to  co-operation,        .     137 

CHAPTER  IX. 

IMPORTANCE  OF  FAITHFULNESS  ON  THE  PART  OF  THE 
DEACONS. 

The  remedy  for  unfaithfulness — The  Deacons'  vow — 
Their  several  relations — Benefits  of  faithfulness — Reca- 
pitulation— Conclusion, 147 


THE    DEACOiNSHIP. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  NATURE  OF  THE  DEACONSHIP. 

Definition. — Variety  of  opinions. — Our  own  doctrine  and 
practice. — History  of  its  origin. — Perpetuation  of  the 
office. — The  injury  of  diverting  it  from  its  original 
design. 

A  Deacon — Ata^fovoj — ^is  a  Minister,  or  Ser- 
vant. The  term,  in  its  broadest  sense,  describes 
ministers,  or  servants,  of  all  classes,  whether  their 
department  be  temporal  or  spiritual.  It  has  in  its 
sense,  a  similar  indefiniteness  with  the  word — ■ 
sxxT^rjaia — Church.  In  illusti'ation  of  the  truth  of 
this  remark,  I  will  refer  to  several  passages  of  the 
word  of  God.  "  Wilt  thou  not,"  says  the  author 
of  the  epistle  to  the  Romans,*  speaking  of  civil 
rulers,  "  be  afraid  of  the  power  ?     Do  that  which 

*  Rom.  xiii.  3,  4. 
2 


14  NATURE    OF 

is  good,  and  thou  shalt  have  praise  of  the  same ; 
for  he  is  [5«cv  ya^  Scaxov^j],  the  Deacon  of  God — 
[in  our  version]  the  minister  of  God  to  thee  for 
good."  In  this,  and  other  texts,  the  civil  magis- 
trate is  announced  as  ''the  Deacon  of  God.''' 
The  aposdes  are  frequently  called  Deacons.  In 
the  address  of  Peter  to  the  assembled  disciples,  a 
few  days  after  the  ascension  of  Christ,*  he  said — 
"  Brethren,  this  scripture  must  needs  have  been 
fulfilled,  which  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  the  mouth  of 
David,  spake  before  concerning  Judas,  which  was 
guide  to  them  that  took  Jesus.  For  he  was  num- 
bered with  us  Qhe  apostles],  and  had  obtained 
part  of  [rijj  Staxoita?,  this  Deaconship']  this  min- 
istry.'^  And  again,  in  the  apostolic  prayer  at  the 
choosing  of  Matthias,  we  have  this  sentence — 
"  Thou,  Lord,  which  knowest  the  hearts  of  all 
men,  show  whether  of  these  two  thou  hast  chosen, 
that  he  may  take  part  of  [y-?,?  Siaxopiai,  this  Dea- 
conship'] this  ministry,  and  apostleship.^'f 
Paul,  speaking  of  himself  and  ApoUos,  says,  they 
were  Aiaxovoc,  Deacons,  in  our  version  ministers, 
by  whom  the  Corinthians  believed  the  gospel.j: 
Tychicus,  an  evangelist,  is  denominated  a  Deacon. 
Writing  to  the  church  at  Ephesus,  Paul  says : 

*  Acts  i.  16, 17,    t  Acts  i.  24,  25.     t  1  Cor.  iii.  5. 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  15 

"  That  ye  also  may  know  my  affairs,  and  how  I 
do,  Tychicus,  a  beloved  brother  and  [rttaroj  5taxoj/oj, 
faithful  Deacon~]  faithful  minister  in  the  Lord, 
shall  make  known  unto  you  all  things ;  whom  I 
have  sent  unto  you  for  the  same  purpose."*  The 
angels  of  God  are  declared  to  be  all  Deacons. 
"  Are  they  not  all  ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to 
minister  [Staxonaf]  for  them  who  shall  be  heirs 
of  salvation?"!  I  will  only  add  that  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  himself  is  also  a  Deacon.  "  Now  I 
[Paul]  say,  that  Jesus  Christ  was  a  [Ataaioj/oj,  a 
Deacon']  minister  of  the  circumcision  for  the 
truth  of  God,  to  confirm  the  promises.":}:  Thus 
we  see  that  according  to  the  usus  loquendi  of  the 
Scriptures,  all  ministers  or  servants,  ordinary  and 
extraordinary,  political,  ecclesiastical,  angelic,  and 
divine,  are  familiarly  called  Deacons. 

There  is,  however,  a  strict  appUcation  of  the 
term  to  a  specified  class  of  officers  in  the  church, 
who,  in  distinction  from  all  others,  bear  this  name. 
They  are  denominated  Deacons,  because  they  are 
the  only  class  not  already  known  by  some  other 
appellation,  and  not  that  the  sense  of  their  title  is 
less  applicable  to  others  than  to  them.  This  fact 
is  plainly  set  forth  in  the  teachings  of  those  por- 

*  Eph.  vi.  21,  22.      t  Heb.  i.  14.      X  Rom.  xv.  8. 


16  NATURE    OF 

tions  of  the  word  of  God  in  which  their  station  is 
described,  and  their  duties  are  enjoined. 

Let  us  consider  this  proposition.  The  inspired 
writers  speak,  frequently,  of  the  office  of  pastors, 
and  the  office  of  Deacons,  as  two  distinct  offices. 
In  one  of  the  epistles  the  qualifications  of  the 
former  are  described ;  and  after  that,  and  sepa- 
rately, those  of  the  latter.  Sometimes,  also,  the 
churches  are  addressed,  with  "  their  bishops,  and 
Deacons."  The  position  of  the  Deacons,  there- 
fore, is,  plainly,  in  the  same  church  with  the  pas- 
tor, or  bishop ;  and  their  duties,  though  in  the 
most  perfect  harmony  with  each  other,  belong  to 
different  departments  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
They  are  coadjutors  in  the  great  work  of  salva- 
tion ;  fellow-laborers  in  the  truth.  To  the  Dea- 
cons, no  less  than  to  the  pastors,  or  ministers, 
most  important  interests  are  committed,  upon  their 
prompt,  enlightened,  and  faithful  attention  to  which, 
depends,  essentially,  the  prosperity  of  religion. 

In  the  facts  and  considerations  thus  far  sub- 
mitted, all  Christians,  I  believe,  substantially  con- 
cur. But,  unhappily,  much  confusion  and  division 
of  sentiment  prevail  regarding  the  nature  of  the 
office ;  the  relations  which  the  Deacons  sustain  to 
the  church  and  to  the  ministry ;  and  the  duties 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  17 

they  are  properly  called  upon  to  perform.  Nearly 
all  the  churches  have  made  them  ministers  of  the 
gospel.  In  the  Roman  Catholic  church  he  is  an 
inferior  ecclesiastic,  the  second  in  the  sacred  order, 
who,  with  the  permission  of  the  bishop,  has  au- 
thority to  preach  and  baptize.  In  the  EngUsh 
church  the  Deacons  are  clergymen,  but  of  the 
lowest  grade  ;  who  can,  however,  perform  all  the 
offices  of  priests,  except  the  consecration  of  tha 
sacred  elements  and  the  pronouncing  of  the  abso- 
lution. In  the  German  Protestant  churches,  when 
more  ministers  than  one  in  the  same  congregation 
are  necessary,  the  second,  or  assistant  minister,  is 
called  the  Deacon ;  and  if  there  are  two  assistants 
the  first  is  called  the  Arch-Deacon.  In  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  the  office  is  commonly  merged  in 
that  of  ruling  elder,  and,  therefore,  mostly  dis- 
used. Where  it  is  still  retained,  it  embraces,  as 
among  Congregationalists  and  others,  merely  the 
disti-ibution  of  ahns.  The  Methodist  and  Epis- 
copal churches  in  this  country  adopt,  substantially, 
on  this  subject,  the  practice  of  the  English  church, 
of  which  they  are  descendants  and  modifications. 
In  the  Baptist  churches,  the  Deacons  are  not  min- 
isters who  preach,  on  the  one  hand,  nor  mere 
distributors  of  alms  on  the  other,  but  serve  in  a 
2* 


18  NATURE    OF 

different  capacity.  They  are  a  board  of  directors, 
and  liave  charge  of  all  the  secular  affairs  in  the 
kingdom  of  Christ. 

This  diversity  is  as  painful,  as  it  is  extensive 
and  firmly  fixed.  I  entertain  no  hope  that,  by 
any  thing  that  may  be  here  said,  I  shall  be  able, 
in  the  smallest  degree,  to  bring  the  advocates  of 
these  jarring  opinions  into  harmony  with  each 
other.  I  do  not,  desirable  as  it  may  be,  even 
aspire  to  such  an  object.  My  purpose  is  simply 
to  ascertain,  and  embody,  the  teachings  of  the 
word  of  God  on  the  whole  subject,  that  we  may 
know,  and  do,  the  will  of  the  Most  High. 

The  nature  of  the  Deaconship  finds  its  chief, 
and  most  prominent  illustration  in  the  history  of 
the  origin  of  the  office.  By  the  acts  there  set 
forth,  as  well  as  by  all  that  appears  in  every  other 
part  of  the  word  of  God,  it  will  be  fully  seen 
that,  as  the  pastor  has  supervision  of  all  the  spiri- 
tualities of  the  church,  and  is,  therefore,  overseer, 
or  bishop  in  that  department;  so  the  deacons 
are  overseers  of  all  her  temporalities,  of  which 
they  of  right,  have  the  full  control.  This  was, 
certainly,  the  form  of  organization  in  "  the  model 
church  at  Jerusalem." 

The  first  professors  of  the  religion  of  Christ 


THE   DEACONSHIP.  19 

were  well  informed  of  tlie  fact,  often  announced 
to  them  by  their  Master,  that  their  city  was  soon 
to  be  destroyed,  then*  country  overrun,  and  the 
nation  dispersed,  so  that  their  property  M^ould  be 
of  no  further  vahie  to  them.  Besides  this,  they 
subjected  themselves,  by  uniting  with  Christ, 
not  only  to  persecution  and  excommunication 
from  the  congregation  of  the  Jews,  but  also  to  the 
confiscation  of  all  their  earthly  possessions.  As 
a  measure  of  economy,  precaution,  and  defence, 
therefore,  by  which  they  could  secure  the  means 
of  life  for  their  own  support, — "  All  that  believed 
were  together,  and  had  all  things  common ;  and 
sold  their  possessions  and  goods,  and  parted  them 
to  all  men  as  every  man  had  need."*  Thus,  and 
for  these  reasons,  a  large  common  fund  was  cre- 
ated, the  whole  of  which  was  placed  in  the  hands 
of  "  the  twelve^  All  the  disciples,  consequently, 
of  every  class,  were  made  dependent  on  the  apos- 
tles for  their  necessary  sustenance.  They  were 
obliged,  in  addition  to  all  their  spiritual  duties,  to 
make,  daily,  an  equitable  disbursement  to  each  in- 
dividual— at  least  to  every  family — to  supply  the 
wants  of  the  whole  multitude  !     Some  of  the  dis- 

*  Acts  ii.  44,  45. 


20  NATURE    OF 

ciples,  doubtless,  probably  many  of  them,  had, 
originally,  no  property,  and  brought  nothing  with 
them  into  the  common  stock.  Yet,  such  was  the 
pervading  feeling  of  benevolence,  that  all  were 
made  equal  partakers  in  the  benefits  of  the  arrange- 
ment. This  guardianship  devolved  upon  the 
apostles,  necessarily,  a  most  laborious  task.  For 
a  season,  however,  they  persevered  in  its  per- 
formance. But  soon  difficulties  sprang  up. 
Charges  of  inattention,  and  partiality,  were  pre- 
ferred against  the  Hebrews,  in  Avhich,  probably, 
the  apostles  felt  themselves  included.  "  A  mur- 
muring" arose  "of  the  Grecians  [Hellenistic 
Jews]  because  their  widows  were  neglected  in 
the  daily  ministrations."'*  Their  cares  and  toils, 
before  sufficiently  arduous,  now  became  insup- 
portable. They  instantly  saw  that  they  were  in 
danger  of  sacrificing  their  influence  over  the  pub- 
lic mind,  by  assuming  to  manage  the  temporal  af- 
fairs of  the  Christians.  They  found  also  another 
impediment  equally  great.  A  large  part  of  their 
time,  all  of  which  they  were  sacredly  bound  to 
devote  to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel,  they  were 
now  consuming  in  mere  earthly  matters.      Thoy 

*  Acts  vi.  1. 


THE   DEACONSHIP.  21 

determined,  therefore,  without  delay,  to  change 
the  existing  condition  of  things,  and  to  provide 
for  these  newly  developed  necessities  of  the 
church.  The  measure  devised,  resulted,  under 
guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  institution  of 
the  Deaconship. 

"Then" — says  Luke — "the  twelve  called  the 
multitude  of  the  disciples  unto  them,  and  said : — 
It  is  not  reason  that  we  should  leave  the  word  of 
God  and  serve  tables  [j^taxovhv  r^artl^atj — deacon 
tables'].  Wherefore,  brethren,  look  ye  out  among 
you,  seven  men  of  honest  report,  full  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appouit  over 
this  business.     But  we  will  give  ourselves,  con- 
tinually, to  prayer,  and  to  the  ministry  of  the 
word.     And  the  saying  pleased  the  whole  multi- 
tude.    And  they  chose   Stephen,  a  man  full  of 
faith,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  Philip,  and  Pro- 
chorus,  and  Nicanor,  and  Timon,  and  Parmenas, 
and  Nicolas,  a  proselyte  of  Antioch,  whom  they 
set  before   the    aposdes ;    and  when   they   had 
prayed,  they  laid  their  hands  on  them.     And  the 
word  of  God  increased  ;   and  the  number  of  the 
disciples  multiplied  in  Jerusalem  gi'eatly ;  and  a 
great  company  of  the  priests  were  obedient  to  the 

faith."* 

»  Acts  vi.  2-7. 


^  NATURE    OF 

Such  is,  briefly,  the  inspired  history  of  the 
origin  of  the  Deaconship.  We  learn  from  it  the 
incontestible  fact  that  the  first  deacons  were  not 
appointed  as  ministers  of  the  gospel,  nor  with  any 
intention  of  their  ever  becoming  such.  If  some 
of  them  subsequently  preached,  they  did  so,  not 
in  their  character  as  deacons,  but  by  virtue  of  au- 
thority afterwards  conferred  upon  them  as  evan- 
gelists. To  this  topic  we  shall  have  occasion  to 
recur,  and  will,  therefore,  not  now  pursue  it.  The 
deacons  were,  on  the  other  hand,  appointed  not 
simply,  as  many  maintain,  to  distribute  the  chari- 
ties of  the  church ;  but  expressly  and  alone,  to  re- 
lieve the  apostles  of  temporal  cares,  by  taking 
charge  of  this  department  of  the  church's  affairs. 
Accordingly  we  see  their  duties  defined,  in  the 
reasons  assigned  for  creating  the  office,  as  the  op- 
posite of  those  which  they  reserved  to  themselves. 
If  we^  said  they,  continue  to  "  serve  tables,^''  we 
must  "  leave'''  preaching  "  the  word  of  God." 
We  cannot  accomplish  both.  Let  the  Deacons 
serve  the  "  tables"  of  the  people.  They  can  do 
that^  fully  as  well  as  we  can,  probably  better. 
"  And  we  will  give  ourselves  continually  to  prayer, 
and  to  the  ministry  of  the  word" — exclusively  to 
the  service  of  preaching  the  gospel.  The  deacons, 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  23 

therefore,  were  originally  not  preachers,  nor 
merely  conservatxDrs  for  the  poor,  but  had  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  property  of  the  church,  which 
they  conducted,  as  the  divinely  authorized  agents, 
for  the  benefit  of  the  whole  community. 

In  these  conclusions  we  are  sustained,  not  only 
by  the  Avord  of  God,  but,  also,  by  the  involuntary 
assent  even  of  those  who  adopt  a  practice  the  op- 
posite of  that  which  we  advocate.  For  example, 
Burkitt,  a  deservedly  popular  commentator  of  the 
English  church,  says  : — "  The  deacons  were,  at 
first,  instituted  for  the  service  of  the  poor ;  the 
alms  of  the  church  were  brought  to  the  altar,  the 
deacons  received  them,  and  distributed  them 
among  the  aged,  and  impotent,  from  house  to 
house."*  Here  he  fully  confesses  that  they  were 
not  ministers ;  but  he  falls  into  the  opposite  error. 
Dr.  Dick,  in  his  Theology,  remarks,  on  this  sub- 
ject, "  It  is  true,  indeed,  that,  as  the  design  of  the 
institution  was  not  to  divert  the  attention  of  the 
apostles  from  the  ministry  of  the  word,  the  care 
of  all  temporal  matters  m  which  the  church  is 
concerned,  may  be  considered  as  belonging  to 
deacons."t     Why,  then,  it  may  be  asked,  have 

*  On  1  Tim.  iii.  8.  t  Vol.  ii.  p.  498-9. 


24  NATURE    OF 

the  Presbyterians  generally,  of  which  community 
Dr.  Dick  was  a  distinguished  member,  no  dea- 
cons. He  himself,  under  a  misconception  of  the 
nature  of  the  office,  like  that  of  Burkitt,  explains* 
— Deacons  "  were  specially  appointed  solely  for 
the  poor.  In  some  congregations  there  are  no 
poor ;  in  others  they  are  very  few  in  number ; 
and  where  they  most  abound,  they  can  be  at- 
tended to  by  the  elders."  In  the  Encyclopedia 
Americana,  a  deacon  is  described  thus : — "  A 
person  who  belongs  to  the  inferior  order  of  minis- 
ters in  the  church.  Seven  were  first  instituted  by 
the  apostles,  which  number  was  retained  a  long 
time,  in  several  churches.  Their  duty  was  to 
serve  in  the  agapss  [love  feasts]  to  distribute  the 
bread  and  wine  to  the  communicants,  and  to  dis- 
pense alms.  The  office  of  the  deacons,  at  first, 
merely  concerned  things  temporal!"! 

We  might  thus  pass  through  the  whole  circle 
of  the  sects,  showing  that  they  all,  in  some  way, 
concede  our  doctrines  to  be  correct,  as  to  the  ori- 
ginal designs  and  purposes  of  the  Deaconship,  and 
adducing  their  confessions  that  they  have  either 
abolished  the  office,  or  changed  its  character  and 

*  Ut  supra.  t  Sub  voce. 


THE   DEACONSHIP.  25 

duties.  But  these  facts  are  so  well  known  that 
I  deem  it  unnecessary  further  to  prosecute  this 
particular  topic. 

Doubts,  I  proceed  to  remark,  have  been  ex- 
pressed whether  the  officers,  the  history  of  whose 
appointment  we  have  briefly  recapitulated,  were 
the  same  with  the  deacons  described  in  the  epis- 
tles. Dr.  Mosheim,  and  others  of  his  class,  main- 
tain that  they  were  not.  He  alleges,*  that  dea- 
cons existed  before  this  time,  and  are  spoken  of 
by  Christt  in  the  following  passage  : — "  But  ye 
shall  not  be  so  ;  but  he  that  is  greatest  among  you, 
let  him  be  as  the  younger  ;  and  he  that  is  chief,  as 
he  that  doth  serve."  Here  the  word  younger 
is  »/!tdT£^o;',  and  for  he  that  doth  serve,  biaxovmv. 
The  latter  word  he  supposes  to  be  unanswerably 
explanatory  of  the  former,  and  to  denote  here, 
appropriately,  the  office  of  a  deacon  in  the  Chris- 
tian church.  Mn^cdj',  also,  the  Greek  word  for 
greatest,  he  considers  as  denoting  a  ruler,  or 
presbyter ;  because  it  is  explained  by  yjyovfiivo^, 
chief,  and  contrasted  to  Siaxovuv.  In  conformity 
to  this  interpretation,  he  supposed  that  the  young 
men,  who  carried  Ananias  and  Sapphira  to  their 

*  Dwight's  Theology,  vol.  iv.  pp.  286,  287,  288. 
t  Luke  xiii.  26. 

3 


26  NATURE    OF 

burial,  were  deacons  in  the  proper  sense.  In  sup- 
port, and,  as  he  thinks,  in  absolute  confirmation 
of  this  opinion,  he  observes,  that  Peter  says  :— 
"  And  hkewise  ye  younger  submit  yourselves  to 
the  elder, ^^  Here  the  words  are  cswrf^ot,  and 
rt^scj/SDrf^ot,  the  latter  meaning,  as  he  apprehends, 
the  elders  of  the  church,  and  the  former  the  dea- 
cons. To  all  this  he  adds,  that  this  sense  of  the 
word  j^fwtf^oi,  might  be  confirmed  by  numberless 
citations  from  Greek  and  Roman  writers,  and  a 
variety  of  authors,  sacred  and  profane.  From 
these  considerations.  Dr.  Mosheim  concludes, 
that  there  ivere  deacons  in  the  church  anterior 
to  those  whose  appointment  we  have  considered, 
and  that  the  seven  were  instituted  only,  or  chiefly, 
to  remedy  the  disorders  of  the  moment. 

There  are  others  who  reject  the  exegeses  of 
Mosheim,  but  who  arrive,  by  a  different  route,  at 
similar  conclusions.  They  hold  that  the  oflice 
first  filled  by  the  seven,  was  originated  by  tempo- 
rary disorders,  and  passed  away  with  the  commu- 
nity of  goods  among  the  disciples.  Afterwards 
the  appointment  of  deacons  was,  they  imagine, 
discretionary,  and  might  be  wholly  discontinued 
without  injury.  Dr.  Dick  expresses  their  opinion 
when  he  says : — "  In  some  parts  of  the  church  the 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  27 

office  of  deacon  is  retained,  but  in  others  it  is  not ; 
and  the  want  of  it  has  been  represented  as  a  crun- 
inal  omission.  But  the  institution  arose  out  of 
particular  circumstances,  and  may,  therefore,  be 
dispensed  with  where  these  do  not  exist."  *'  The 
poor,"  he  adds,  "  where  they  are  found,  can  be 
attended  to  by  the  elders,  who,  on  the  principle 
that  an  inferior  office  is  comprehended  in  a  supe- 
rior, possess  the  power  of  deacons,  as  ministers 
possess  the  power  of  elders.  This" — concludes 
Dr.  Dick — "  is  our  apology  for  not  having  deacons 
in  our  congregations,  and  it  seems  to  be  satisfac- 
tory."* 

To  this  reasoning  of  the  Scotch  divine,  and 
those  who  adhere  to  him,  we  reply,  summarily, 
that  it  is  based  upon  three  palpable  errors.  First, 
that  the  deacon's  office  originated  in  peculiar  and 
temporary  circumstances  ;  secondly,  that,  where 
these  circumstances  are  supposed  not  to  exist,  the 
church  may  abolish  it ;  and  thirdly,  that  its  duties 
may  be  performed  by  higher  officers,  whose  offices 
necessarily  include  the  lower  !  These  errors  are 
too  obvious  to  need  refutation. 

But  the  expositions  of  Dr.  Mosheim,  by  which 
he  proposes  to  estabUsh  the  existence  of  deacons 
*  Theology,  vol.  ii.  p.  499. 


28  NATURE    OF 

in  the  church  before  the  ascension  of  Christ,  de- 
serve a  more  particular  examination.  They  are 
very  ingenious,  but  they  labor  under  one  capital 
defect — they  are  entirely  inapplicable  ;  his  scrip- 
ture passages  have  not  the  remotest  reference  to 
the  Deaconship.  Every  one  must  see,  on  turning 
to  his  texts,  that  their  whole  design  was,  not  to 
teach  any  thing  with  regard  to  the  Deaconship, 
but  to  inculcate  upon  the  disciples  those  lessons 
of  humility,  so  necessary  both  for  them  and  for 
us.  When  Christ,  and  his  apostles,  tell  us,  that 
in  the  church  of  the  Redeemer,  "  the  greatest  is 
bound  to  feel  and  act  as  a  youth,  or  child,  ought 
to  feel  and  act ;  and  that  he  who  is  chief  ought  to 
behave  with  the  modesty  and  humility  of  him 
whose  business  it  is  to  serve,"  we  are  charmed 
with  the  beautiful  lesson  inculcated ;  and  cannot 
but  be  surprised  that  any  one,  by  a  sublimated 
process  of  criticism,  should  think  of  turning  it 
aside  from  its  purpose,  and  especially  of  finding 
in  it  a  class  of  ecclesiastical  officers  nowhere  re- 
corded, at  the  time,  as  having  an  existence  !  Is  it 
not  incredible,  that  Christ  should,  in  the  days  of 
his  flesh,  have  formed  an  order  of  officers  in  his 
church,  by  his  own  immediate  appointment,  and 
yet  that  no  writer  of  the  New  Testament,  except 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  29 

in  distant  and  incomprehensible  allusions,  should 
have  furnished  us  any  account  of  a  procedure  so 
important  ?  Besides,  in  the  act  of  choosing  the 
deacons,  the  history  of  which  we  have  considered, 
there  is  not  the  least  allusion  to  any  pre-existing 
officers  of  that  title  or  character.  On  the  contrary, 
the  idea  is  forbidden  by  the  spirit  of  the  whole 
transaction. 

It  is  perfectly  certain,  therefore,  that  up  to  the 
time  we  have  indicated,  there  were  no  deacons  in 
the  church.  It  is  equally  clear,  that  those  then 
appointed  were  not  designed  to  serve  a  mere  tem- 
porary purpose,  but  were  to  be  continued  in  the 
church,  and  are  as  necessary  now  as  they  were 
when  first  instituted. 

'  Was  the  Deaconship  originated  to  remedy  the 
disorders  growing  out  of  the  community  of  goods 
merely,  and  to  pass  away  with  that  condition  of 
things  ?  I  cannot  see  how  any  one  can  seriously 
entertain  this  opinion,  since  long  after  the  disci- 
ples had  ceased  to  have  "all  things  common," 
and  there  were  no  longer  any  disorders  on  this 
account,  the  office -was  still  existing  in  all  the 
churches.  In  the  epistles  it  is  famiUarly  spoken 
of,  and  especially  in  the  first  epistle  to  Timothy, 
written  at  least  thirty  years  after  the  disciples  had 
3* 


30  NATURE    OF 

exhausted  their  common  property,  and  the  com- 
munity of  goods  was  no  more.  To  the  close  of 
the  apostohc  age  it  was  inculcated  and  required. 
The  qualifications  necessary  to  be  possessed  by 
those  who  are  elevated  to  the  office,  are  minutely 
described,  and  the  ministry  admonished  to  be  ex- 
tremely cautious  as  to  the  character  of  tlie  men 
upon  whom  they  conferred  this  dignity.  The 
moral,  religious,  and  intellectual  endowments  of 
the  officer  ;  the  duties  of  his  station  ;  his  respon- 
sibihties  ;  and  the  importance  of  his  fidelity ;  as 
enumerated  and  enforced  by  Paul,  are  essentially 
the  same  with  those  stated  at  the  origination  of 
the  office,  and  prove,  beyond  question,  that  it  was 
the  same  officer. 

Let  us  advert  to  three  additional  facts,  in  proof 
that  the  perpetuation  of  the  Deaconship  in  the 
church  is  positively  indispensable. 

Every  church,  in  the  first  place,  must,  in  the 
nature  of  things,  own  more  or  less  common  pro- 
perty and  funds,  for  the  management  of  which  the 
services  of  deacons  are  essential.  She  must  pos- 
sess a  place  of  worship  ;  and  she  must  create  and 
sustain  a  ti-easury,  because  it  is  necessary  that  she 
support  her  pastor,  that  she  succor  and  relieve  her 
poor,  that  she  meet  her  incidental  expenses,  and 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  31 

tliat  she  aid  iii  the  general  dissemination  of  the 
gospel.  Who,  in  all  this,  is  to  superintend  and 
direct  affairs  to  the  proper  issue  ?  God  has  ap- 
pointed for  this  special  purpose  the  Deacons ; 
therefore  their  ofnce  must  be  perpetually  continued 
ill  the  church. 

The  terapoi;al  affairs  of  the  church,  secondly, 
camiot,  as  experience  fully  teaches,  noiu  be  admin- 
istered by  the  pastors,  witliout  subjcctuig  them  to 
tlie  same  difficulties  tliat  beset  the  apostles.  Either 
tliey  will  be  fatally  neglected  by  them,  and  great 
injury  ensue ;  or  a  very  large  part  of  their  time 
will  be  thereby  engrossed,  wliich  is  not  admissible, 
since  the  whole  is  appropriated,  by  the  King  in 
zion,  to  the  preaching  of  the  word.  The  deacons 
must  therefore  be  retained. 

And,  lastly,  the  law  enactmg  the  Deaconship 
has  never  been  repealed,  changed,  or  modified  in 
any  way.  It  is  still  in  full  force,  and  if  disre- 
garded by  us,  we  become,  on  that  account,  criminal 
before  God.  Indeed,  no  church,  without  deacons 
to  preside  over  its  temporal  affairs,  is  legally  or 
fully  organized,  or  can  properly  claim  to  be  in 
every  respect,  Christ's  church. 

The  perpetuation  of  the  Deaconship,  therefore, 


32  NATURE   OF 

in  its  original  forai,  and  with  its  primitive  duties, 
is  as  obligatory  as  any  other  portion  of  the  word 
of  God. 

When  we  look  around  us  we  see,  almost  every 
where,  other  and  unauthorized  officers  introduced 
into  the  church  to  do  their  work  ;  the  deacons, 
where  they  exist  at  all,  diverted  from  it ;  and  en- 
gaged in  other  duties  than  those  they  were  origi- 
nally appointed  to  perform.  I  cannot  but  lament 
this  perversion,  so  generally  prevalent,  since  it 
must  inevitably  result  in  deep  and  lasting  injury  to 
the  cause  it  is  designed  to  subserve.  What  God 
appoints  is  always  best  for  his  people.  To  devise 
a  plan  of  our  own,  and  to  substitute  it  for  his,  is 
to  commit  the  folly  of  assuming  to  be  more  wise, 
and  to  understand  better  the  wants  of  his  church 
than  Christ  himself!  Remove  the  deacons,  either 
by  transferring  them  to  the  ministry  or  in  any  other 
way,  and  the  pecuniary  interests  of  religion,  al- 
ways extensive  and  important,  must  revert  to  the 
clergy,  be  wholly  neglected,  or  be  under  the  con- 
trol of  men  who  have  no  authority  in  the  pre- 
mises. In  either  case  the  word  of  God  is 
contemned,  and  the  rights  of  both  the  church  and 
the  ministry  are  abused  and  injured.    We  are  dis- 


THE    DEACONSIIIP.  33 

obedient,  presumptuous,  and  the  blessing  of  God 
is  jusdy  forfeited.  The  evil  is  inevitable  and  aggra- 
vated. 

Thus  have  we  seen  the  nature  of  the  Deacon- 
ship  illustrated  in  a  definition  as  to  what  the  office 
really  is  ;  the  variety  of  opinions  entertained  in 
relation  to  it ;  and  our  own  doctrine  and  practice 
on  the  subject ;  also  in  the  history  of  its  origin, 
the  necessity  of  its  perpetuation  in  the  church, 
and  the  injury  wJiich  must  always  result  when  it 
is  diverted  from  its  original  design.  Let  us,  Be- 
loved brethren,  understand  ourselves  upon  this 
subject ;  adhere  unwaveringly  to  the  word  of  God ; 
maintain  the  Deaconship  in  its  original  fonii  and 
with  its  primitive  purposes ;  and  we  may  confi- 
dently anticipate  upon  "  our  works  of  faith,  and 
labors  of  love,"  the  rich  blesshig  of  our  Heavenly 
Father. 


34  QUALIFICATIONS   FOR 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  QUALIFICATIONS  FOR  THE  DEACONSHIP. 

The  conjugal  relations  of  the  candidate. — His  general  re- 
putation.— His  religious  character. — His  orthodoxy. — 
His  intellectual  endowments. — His  government  of  his 
family,  and  general  conduct  of  his  own  temporal  affairs. 

The  success  of  an  officer  must  always  depend, 
mainly,  upon  his  qualifications  to  perform  the 
duties  of  his  office.  Incompetent  or  unfaithful 
men,  either  in  the  Deaconship  or  the  ministry, 
invariably  prove  an  incubus  upon  the  cause  their 
appointment  was  intended  to  promote.  The  apos- 
tles, guided  by  these  considerations,  describe  with 
careful  particularity  the  endowments  necessary  to 
be  possessed  to  fit  a  man  for  this  distinguished 
station.  To  the  church  in  Jerusalem  they  said 
that  they  must  be  : — "  Men  of  honest  report,  full 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  wisdom."*  And  Paul 
charged  Timothy  thus  : — "  The  Deacons  must  be 

*  Acts  vi.  3. 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  35 

grave,  not  double  tongued,  not  given  to  much 
wine,  not  greedy  of  filthy  kicre  ;  holding  the  mys- 
tery of  the  faith  in  a  pure  conscience.  And  let 
these  also  first  be  proved,  then  let  them  use  the 
office  of  a  deacon,  being  found  blameless.  Even 
so  must  their  wives  be  grave,  not  slanderers,  sober, 
faithful  in  all  things.  Let  the  deacons  be  the 
husbands  of  one  wife,  ruling  their  children  and 
their  own  houses  well.  For  they  that  have  used 
the  office  of  a  deacon  well,  purchase  to  themselves 
a  good  degree,  and  great  boldness  in  the  faith  which 
is  in  Christ  Jesus.  These  things  write  I  unto 
thee,  hoping  to  come  unto  thee  shordy ;  but,  if  I 
tarry  long,  that  thou  mayest  know  how  thou 
oughtest  to  behave  thyself  in  the  house  of  God."* 

Thus  briefly  are  set  forth  in  the  Scriptures,  the 
qualifications  for  the  Deaconship.  The  subject 
presents  six  distinct  points,  which  we  will  proceed 
to  consider  separately. 

Whether  the  qualifications  of  a  brother  render 
him  eligible  to  the  Deaconship,  is,  in  the  first 
place,  determined  by  the  character  of  his  conjugal 
relations. 

On  this  part  of  our  subject  we  are  thus  admo- 

•  1  Tim.  iii.  8-14. 


36  QUALIFICATIONS    FOR 

nished : — "  Even  so  must  their  wives  be  grave, 
not  slanderers,  sober,  faithful  in  all  things.  Let 
the  deacons  be  the  husbands  of  one  wife."  Upon 
the  first  sentence  in  this  text — "  Even  so  must 
their  wives  be  grave,  not  slanderers,  sober,  faithful 
in  all  things" — opinions  are  at  variance.  But  our 
best  and  most  judicious  biblical  critics  have  decided 
that  it  does  not  refer  to  the  deacons'  loives,  but 
to  another  class  of  women  mistaken  for  them  by 
our  translators.  It  is  evident,  however,  that  every 
man  must  be,  more  or  less,  influenced  for  good  or 
for  evil  by  his  wife.  If  she  does  not  maintain  a 
reputable  character,  prudence  at  least  would  dic- 
tate, that  the  husband  should  not  be  placed  in  a 
position  which  will  bring  her  so  in  contact  with 
the  church  as  to  injure  the  cause  of  religion.  It 
is  exceedingly  desirable  that  the  wives  of  deacons, 
and  the  wives  of  all  other  christian  men,  should 
fully  correspond  with  the  apostolic  description. 
This  all,  for  very  many  reasons,  will  franldy  con- 
fess. Next  to  the  religion  of  Christ,  a  pious, 
intelligent,  exemplary,  zealous,  devoted,  afl^ec- 
tionate  wife,  is  the  most  precious  gift  of  God. 
Happy  is  that  man  who  is  blessed  with  such  a 
companion  through  life's  weary  pilgrimage.  But 
why,  if  the  passage  does  not  describe  the  wives 


THE    DEACOXSHIP.  37 

of  deacons,  should  our  translators  have  so  repre- 
sented it  ?  I  know  not.  The  church  to  which 
they  all  belonged,  had  dispensed  with  the  Deacon- 
ship  m  its  original  form,  and  had  made  the  officer 
a  clerg}-man.  Supposing,  as  we  may  conjecture, 
that  a  minister's  wife  ought  to  be  such  a  woman 
as  Paul  describes,  and  as  it  is  not  required  of  the 
bishops,  and  since  with  them  bishops  are  made 
of  deacons,  they  determined  that  it  must  be  re- 
quired of  deacons  !  This  might  probably  have 
been  the  motive  for  our  present  version. 

We  have  four  reasons  for  believing  that  the  pas- 
sage does  not  refer  to  the  ivives  of  the  deacons. 
With  these  we  will  content  ourselves  at  present, 
and  will  resume  the  subject  in  a  subsequent 
chapter. 

In  the  first  place,  the  inspired  original  will  not 
sustain  the  interpretation.  The  literal  rendering 
is  simply — "  Let  the  women  likewise  be  grave,'* 
&c.  Wh^it  women?  The  conclusion  is  as  na- 
tural that  the  apostle  meant  some  other  women  as 
the  wives  of  the  deacons. 

Secondly,  the  wives  of  the  deacons  are  ex- 
pressly spoken  of  in  the  next  verse,  and  therefore, 
probably  not  in  this. 

4 


38  QUALIFICATIONS    FOR 

Thirdly,  it  is  not  rational  to  conclude  that  more, 
on  the  score  of  religion  and  fidelity,  would  be 
demanded  as  to  the  wives  of  deacons  than  as  to 
those  of  bishops,  and  no  such  requirements  are 
challenged  of  the  wives  of  bishops. 

Lastly,  it  is  the  opinion  of  expositors  generally, 
in  which  I  feel  myself  obliged  to  concur,  that  the 
apostle  delineates  those  female  assistants  to  dea- 
cons, usually  called  Deaconesses,  of  whom  we 
read  in  several  other  places  in  the  New  Testament, 
whom  we  know  existed  in  the  apostolic  churches, 
and  of  whom  we  hear  so  much  in  the  writings  of 
the  early  Christian  fathers.  He  was  describing 
the  qualifications  of  deacons,  and  continues  his 
theme  down  to  this  verse  ;  here  he  portrays  "  the 
WOMEN ;"  and  in  the  next  place  the  deacons' 
wives.  By  these  "  ivomen^^  therefore,  he  must 
have  meant  the  Deaconesses,  who,  like  the  Dea- 
cons, must  be  grave,  not  slanderers,  sober,  faithful 
in  all  things.  But  more  of  this  hereafter.  We 
dismiss  the  passage  as  having  no  direct  reference 
to  the  wives  of  deacons. 

If  we  do  not  materially  err  in  these  expositions, 
the  only  text  which  speaks  of  the  conjugal  rela- 
tions of  the  deacons  simply  restricts  them  to  one 
wife,  without  any  especial  direction  as  to  what 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  39 

shall  be  hex  character, — "  Let  the  deacons  be  the 
husbands  of  one  icife.''^ 

Does  this  apostolic  injunction  make  it  neces- 
sar}',  to  qualify  a  brother  for  the  Deaconship,  that 
he  shall  actually  have  a  wife  ?  A  misapprehen- 
sion of  the  nature  of  the  instructions  here  given, 
has  led,  in  various  quarters,  to  some  singular 
errors.  Supposing  that  a  wife  is  necessary  to  a 
deacon,  the  JMoravian  church,  the  Reformed  Dutch 
church,  and  some  of  our  own  churches,  always 
require  it.  They  indeed  frequently  go  so  far  as 
to  conclude,  that  it  disqualifies  him  if  he  has  lost 
his  wife,  or  if  he  has  been  married  a  second  time  ! 
AU  tliis,  however,  is  inconsistent  both  with  reason 
and  the  true  meaning  of  Scripture.  If  the  deacon 
must  be  a  married  man,  so  also  must  the  bishop. 
The  same  authority  that  enjoins  it  in  the  one  case, 
enjoins  it,  and  in  the  same  words  also,  in  the  other. 
"  A  bishop  [a  pastor]  then,  must  be  blameless, 
the  husband  of  one  wife^'^  Yet  who  among  us 
supposes  that  a  minister  is,  for  want  of  a  wife,  dis- 
qualified to  assume  the  pastorship  ?  It  not  unfire- 
quently  happens  that  the  same  churches  that  refuse 
to  admit  a  single  man  to  the  Deaconship,  receive 
without  scruple  an  unmarried  pastor  !  Such  in- 
*  1  Tim.  iii.  1. 


40  QUALIFICATIONS    FOR 

consistencies  prove  a  very  great  want  of  reflection, 
as  well  as  inadequate  conceptions  of  the  word  of 
God.  The  meaning  of  the  passage  is  plain.  It 
commands,  not  that  the  deacon  shall  have  a  wife, 
but  that,  if  he  be  married,  he  shall  not,  at  the 
same  time,  have  tAvo  or  more  wives,  but  that  he 
shall  have  but  "  one  wife.'" 

But  why  this  special  admonition  on  such  a 
subject,  since  no  deacon  in  our  age  or  country 
can  possibly,  according  to  law,  have  more  than  one 
wife  at  a  time  ?  No  one  would  think  of  making 
a  man  a  deacon  who  has  two  ivives!  This 
restriction,  however,  let  it  be  remembered,  did  not 
always  exist,  and  does  not  even  now  in  oriental 
countries,  where  polygamy  is  still  permitted  by 
their  governments  and  practised  by  the  people. 
Our  Creator,  in  the  beginning,  purposed  that  every 
man  should  have  his  own  wife,  and  every  woman 
her  own  husband.  Unhappily,  not  many  centu- 
ries were  counted  in  the  world's  history,  before 
this  wise  and  salutary  provision  began  to  be  pain- 
fully perverted.  Men  married  as  many  wives  as 
they  felt  inclined,  and  the  practice  prevailed  in  all 
nations.  Israel  offered  no  exception  to  this  gene- 
ral deparhire.  Ultimately  polygamy  found  its 
way  every  where,  even  among  the  most  pious  of 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  41 

the  servants  of  God.  David,  for  example,  had 
many  wives  ;  Solomon  had  several  hundred  ;  and 
up  to  the  days  of  the  apostles,  every  man  had  as 
many  as  he  was  disposed  to  take.  Among  those 
who  professed  religion  and  joined  the  primitive 
churches,  there  were  doubtless  not  a  few  wlio  had 
more  wives  than  one.  It  would  have  been  strange 
if  they  had  not  had.  I  submit,  with  deference, 
whether  it  is  likely,  for  many  reasons  which  may 
readily  be  imagined,  that  every  one  who  joined 
the  Christians  was  required  to  separate  from  all 
but  one  of  his  wives.  No  such  law  was  enacted 
at  the  time,  and  had  it  been,  its  enforcement  in  the 
then  condition  of  things  would,  in  many  cases, 
have-  been  attended  with  incalculable  suffering. 

However  tliis  may  have  been,  it  was  the  pur- 
pose of  Christ  to  abolish  polygamy,  and  to  restore 
marriage  to  its  original  state.  In  accordance  with 
this  intention,  the  Scriptures  peremptorily  prohibit 
every  unmarried  person  from  taking  hut  one  wife, 
and  if  a  man  had  more  than  one,  although  he 
might  have  retained  his  position  as  a  private  mem- 
ber, it  was  a  perpetual  disqualification  for  both  the 
ministry  and  the  Deaconship — and,  indeed,  for 
any  other  sacred  office.  This  is  the  meaning  of 
the  apostle  when  he  says — "Let  the  deacons  be 
4* 


42  QUALIFICATIONS    FOR 

the  husbands  of  one  wife."  If  any  man  could 
deliberately  disregard  the  authority  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  the  matter  of  marriage,  this  was  testimony  suf- 
ficient of  his  unfitness  for  the  Dcaconship.  The 
spirit  of  the  injunction,  as  it  apphes  to  us,  is,  that 
lie  who  is  not  pure  in  his  conjugal  relations,  is 
not  to  be  placed  in  authority  in  the  church.  He 
must  partake,  more  or  less,  of  the  temper  and 
moral  feelings  of  his  family.  The  possibihty  of 
his  being  "  spiritually  minded"  is  precluded. 
How  can  he  cultivate  such  a  knowledge  of  the 
word  of  God  as  is  essential  to  "  soundness  in  the 
faith  ?"     He  cannot  be  a  deacon. 

The  qualifications  of  a  brother  for  the  Deacon- 
sliip  are,  in  the  second  place,  to  be  determined  by 
his  general  reputation. 

The  deacons,  said  "  the  twelve''^  to  the  church 
in  Jerasalem,  at  the  institution  of  the  office,  must 
be  "  rnen  of  honest  report. ^^  This,  however,  is 
a  somewhat  vague  definition.  More  definiteness 
is  necessary.  To  what  particular  points  does  it 
refer  ?  la  another  place  we  have  the  requisite 
information.  Paul  charges  Timothy  thus : — 
"The  deacons  must  be  grave,  [of  sedate  and 
dignified  carriage  and  deportment,]  not  double 
tongued,  [speaking  one  thing  to  one  person  and 


THE    DEACONSIIIP.  43 

another  to  another,  on  the  same  subject — one 
thmg  in  your  presence  and  another  in  your  ab- 
sence,] not  given  to  much  wine,  [so  using  intoxi- 
cating drinks  as  in  any  way  to  endanger  their 
habits  of  the  most  perfect  temperance,]  not  greedy 
of  fikhy  lucre,  [_'' m  awx^oxe^Ssis, — not  desirous 
of  base  gain,''^ — not  employing  base  and  unjus- 
tifiable means  to  enlarge  their  revenues,]  holding 
the  mystery  of  the  faith  in  a  pure  conscience,  [so 
acting  and  believing,  as  to  have  habitually  a  con- 
science void  of  offence  towards  God  and  towards 
men].  Let  these  also  first  be  proved;  [have 
given,  as  private  members  of  the  church,  suffi- 
cient evidence  of  character,  capacity,  and  readi- 
ness to  act ;]  then  let  them  use  the  office  of  a 
deacon,  being  found  blameless."  They  must  be 
endowed  with  all  the  moral  qualities  here  enu- 
merated as  entering  into  the  character  of  a  man 
"  of  honest  report,"  and  they  must,  in  addition, 
have  the  reputation  of  possessing  them — not  with 
the  church  only,  but  also  with  the  world — "  Hav- 
ing a  good  report  of  them  that  are  Avithout."  This, 
at  the  first  glance,  will  probably  appear  to  be  a 
hard  condition.  But  it  will  not  be  so  considered 
when  we  come  to  remember  that  every  man  really 
is,  as  a  general  rule,  what  he  has  the  reputation 


44  QUALIFICATIONS    FOR 

of  being,  especially  among  those  who  are  most 
famihar  with  him  in  the  details  of  life. 
.  To  the  success  of  a  minister,  an  irreproachable 
moral  character  every  where  is  aljsolutely  essen- 
tial. Without  it,  there  must  necessarily  be  such  a 
general  wa-nt  of  confidence  in  his  integrity  and 
sincerity  as  wiU  close  the  hearts  of  all  who  hear 
him.  He  has  not  "  a  good  report  of  those  who  are 
without."  Therefore,  by  his  preaching,  he  rather 
dishonors  Christ  than  advances  the  cause  of  reli- 
gion. The  multitudes  will  think  him  a  hypocrite, 
and  to  all  his  instructions  and  "exhortations  they 
will  reply  with  the  old  proverb — "  Physician  heal 
thyself."  He  must  be  known  as  a  man  of  ex- 
emplary piety.  "  A  statue  upon  the  house  top 
must  be  larger  than  life,  or  it  will  appear  to  be 
much  smaller."  So  those  who  are  ever  sub- 
jected to  the  public  gaze,  elevated  in  conspicuous 
stations  in  the  church,  must  be  more  religious  than 
other  men,  or  they  will  appear  much  less  so. 
These  considerations  apply  with  equal  force  to 
the  deacons.  They  too  must  be  "  men  of  honest 
report.-"  If  he  is  light,  vain,  and  frivolous  in  his 
intercourse — not  grave  ;  if,  on  the  same  subject, 
he  give  different  representations,  not  confinmg 
himself  to  strict  truth — is  double  tongued  ;  if  he 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  45 

drink  intoxicating  spirits,  so  as,  even  remotely,  to 
bring  his  tentiperance  into  question — is  given  to 
much  ivine  ;  if  he  avail  himself  of  any  low  or 
undue  means  to  increase  his  wealth — is  greedy 
of  Jilthy  lucre  ;  he  is  effectually  disqualified  for 
the  Deaconship.  Such  a  man  can  never  acquire 
or  maintain  that  influence  over  the  public  mind 
which  the  oflice  demands  ;  he  cannot  inculcate, 
successfully,  a  pure  morality  ;  nor  can  he  offer,  in 
his  life,  such  an  example  as  will  do  honor  to  the 
cause  of  Christ.  All  these  considerations  require 
that  the  deacons  should  be,  and  should  have  the 
reputation  of  being,  men  of  unsullied  honor. 

Other  and  paramount  reasons  exist  why  the 
deacons  should  support  an  unimpeached,  and  un- 
impeachable, moral  character — should  be,  indeed, 
"above  suspicion." 

They  are  the  depositaries  of  all  the  common 
property  and  funds  of  the  church;  to  supply  the 
necessities  of  the  destitute  and  suffering,  they  fre- 
quently receive  contributions,  disburse  them  at 
discretion,  and  no  account  is  given,  or  expected  to 
be  rendered  by  them ;  and  no  remedy  exists  at 
law  by  which  they  can,  in  these,  or,  indeed,  in 
any  case,  be  compelled  to  fidelity.  The  whole 
church  and  congregation  must,  therefore,  have  in 


46  QUALIFICATIONS    FOR 

their  incorruptible  integrity  the  most  undoubting 
confidence.  If  their  characters,  in  any  moral  re- 
spects, are  equivocal,  this  defect  amounts  to  a 
disquahfication.  They  must  be  "  men  of  honest 
report.^^ 

The  third  qualification  respects  the  religious 
character  of  the  candidate  for  the  Deaconsliip. 

Men  of  distinguished  piety  are  demanded. 
Than  this,  nothing  less  can  surely  be  meant  by 
the  phrase, — "  Full  of  the  Holy  Ghost"' — in  other 
words,  full  of  the  gifts  and  "graces  of  the  Spirit  of 
God.  Those  who  are  thus  eminently  endowed 
possess  sincere  and  unfailing  religion,  enjoy  the 
love  of  Christ  dwelling  richly  in  their  hearts.  Of 
these  acquirements  the  deacons,  if  they  do  their 
duty,  will  have  pressing  necessity.  What  else 
but  the  influence  of  the  holiest  affections  can  so  at- 
tach them  to  the  cause  as  to  induce  them  prompdy, 
patiently,  and  from  year  to  year,  to  prosecute 
unwaveringly  the  many,  and  often  extremely  dis- 
agreeable duties,  which  they  are  constantly  called 
upon  to  discharge  ? .  What  else  is  there  that  is 
likely  to  prevent  them  from  indulging  in  those 
neglects,  to  which  unwilling  nature  so  strongly 
prompts,  and  which,  when  permitted,  are  always 
so  fatal  to  aU  the  interests  of  the  religion  of  Christ  ? 


THE    DEACONSIIIP.  47 

They  can  never  be  borne  onward  by  motives  of 
worldly  honor,  because  no  temporal  distinctions 
await  them.  Neither  can  they  be  prompted  to 
duty  by  the  influence  of  pecuniary  reward.  They 
receive  none.  Their  work  is  a  gratuity.  Yet  they 
must  devote  much  of  their  time,  make  many  per- 
sonal sacrifices,  bear  a  thousand  perplexities,  and 
toil  on,  under  every  discouragement  that  may 
beset  them,  unshrinking,  and  to  the  end  !  Can 
so  much  be  expected  from  any  but  men  of  the 
most  exemplary  piety?  For  these,  and  other 
reasons,  those  who  are  appointed  to  the  Deacon- 
ship  should,  if  possible,  be  like  Stephen, — "  Full 
of  faith,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

They  must,  in  the  fourth  place,  be  men  of 
sound  scriptural  principles. 

This  characteristic  in  the  qualifications  requi- 
site to  the  Deaconship,  is  enjoined  with  great 
emphasis — "  Holding  the  mystery  of  the  faith." 
They  may  be  strict  in  their  morals  ;  spiritual  in 
their  feelings ;  kind,  courteous,  and  sincere  in 
their  Christian  intercourse  ;  regular  and  punctual  in 
the  performance  of  all  their  duties ;  and  their  hearts 
deeply  imbued  with  the  love  of  Christ.  But  even 
all  this  is  not  enough,  if  it  is  not  accompanied  by 


48  QUALIFICATIONS    FOR 

orthodoxy  in  their  Christian  doctrine — they  must 
"  hold  the  mystery  of  the  faith." 

This  requisition  necessarily  involves  more  than 
a  very  limited  knoAvledge  of  the  word  of  God. 
How  salutary,  how  indispensable  to  us  all,  is  the 
prayerful  and  careful  study  of  divine  revelation  ? 
"  Search  the  Scriptures,"  said  the  Redeemer,  "  for 
in  them  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  they 
are  they  which  testify  of  me."  Without  this  we 
can  form  no  stable  system  of  theology,  and  our 
conduct,  which  is  always  based  upon  our  princi- 
ples, must  be  vacillating  and  unsteady.  In  our 
day,  indeed,  many  professors  of  religion  appear, 
doubtless  in  consequence  of  a  want  of  competent 
information,  to  have  hardly  any  definite  doctrinal 
principles.  Periodical  excitements  are  looked  to 
for  almost  every  purpose.  They  carry  us  for- 
ward upon  their  resistless  tide.  As  a  natural 
result,  our  religion  has  assumed  a  spasmodic  cha- 
racter, and  seems  to  consist  mostly,  if  not  alto- 
gether, in  feeling.  With  that  denomination  which 
happens  to  be  convenient,  therefore,  the  great  mass, 
when  they  profess  religion,  unite  themselves. 
They  make,  generally,  almost  no  inquiry,  are 
rarely  informed  what  that  church  believe,  they 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  49 

nevertheless  profess  to  receive  and  to  cherish  their 
doctrines  !  Church  membership  has,  in  conse- 
quence, assumed  a  painful  instability ;  and  the 
tendencies  to  all  descriptions  of  fanaticism  are 
every  where  apparent.  Who  but  the  leading  mem- 
bers of  our  churches — the  deacons  especially — » 
are  to  stay  this  overwhelming  tide  of  evil  ?  And 
can  they  do  it  unless  they  are  thoroughly  fixed  in 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  ? 

What  the  doctrines  are  that  constitute  the  sum 
of  "  the  mystery  of  the  faith,"  it  is,  of  course,  not 
proper  for  me  here  to  describe.  The  attempt 
would,  necessarily,  occupy  by  far  too  much  space. 
I  may  barely  remark,  that  they  are  such  as  the 
distinction  of  persons  in  the  Godhead,  the  divine 
Sonship,  the  proper  Divinity,  and  the  distinct  per- 
sonality of  Christ;  the  Deity,  personality,  and 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  the  unity  of  God ;  the 
incarnation  of  Christ,  and  the  union  of  the  two 
natures  in  him  ;  the  vicariousness  of  his  sacrifice  ; 
justification  by  faith  alone,  through  the  merits  of 
Christ ;  the  duty  of  obedience  to  all  the  ordinances 
and  commandments  ;  the  resurrection  of  the  body, 
and  everlasting  life.  In  these,  and  such  like  doc- 
trines of  the  gospel,  it  is  necessary,  to  quahfy  a 
5 


50  QUALIFICATIONS    FOR 

man  for  the  Deaconship,  tliat  he  be  thoroughly 
orthodox. 

Yet  other  reasons  also  require  it.  The  influ- 
ence which  the  deacons  exert  in  the  churches  is 
to  be  considered.  Should  they  be  unsound  in  the 
faith  it  will  not  be  difficult  for  them  to  find  adhe- 
rents, and  thus  bring  additional  evils  into  the 
body.  They  may,  therefore,  if  defective  "in 
the  faith,"  instead  of  becoming  a  blessing,  prove 
a  source  of  the  greatest  injuries — perhaps  over- 
whelm and  destroy  the  church  itself. 

The  deacons  will  also  be  called  frequently,  espe- 
cially in  private— even  more  frequently  it  may  be 
than  the  pastor — to  defend  the  peculiar  doctrines 
of  the  gospel.  This  they  can  never  do  if  they 
are  wanting  in  orthodoxy.  On  the  contrary,  every 
attempt  of  the  kind  would  necessarily  inflict  a  new 
and  dangerous  wound,  because  it  would  be  a  new 
advocacy  of  error,  and  an  increased  dissemination 
of  false  principles. 

They  will  be  called  upon  to  instruct  the  erring 
and  the  weak,  to  confirm  the  strong,  and  to  estab- 
lish the  wavering.  They  must,  therefore,  not  be 
unsteady  or  eccentric  in  their  tenets ;  disposed, 
for  any  reason,  to  compromise  truth ;  nor,  on  the 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  51 

Other  hand,  dogmatical  and  overbearing  in  its  de- 
fence, but  gentle,  firm,  and  decided. 

On  these  and  many  other  accounts,  it  will  be 
seen  that  the  deacons  must  be  men  who  hold 
unwaveringly  "  the  mystery  of  the  faith." 

The  qualifications  for  the  Deaconship  consist, 
in  the  fifth  place,  in  intellectual  capacity.  * 

He  who  is  chosen  to  that  ofiice  must  be, — 
"  Full  of  wisdom."  Such  is  the  apostohc  admo- 
nition to  the  church  in  Jerusalem,  and  "  it  was 
written  for  our  learning." 

The  term  wisdom,  as  it  occurs  in  this  passage, 
does  not,  I  presume,  refer  exclusively,  or  even  pri- 
marily, to  what  is  popularly  known  as  human 
leamuig,  or  cultivation  in  the  arts,  sciences,  and 
literature.  Learning,  I  will  confess,  is  very  desir- 
able ;  and  yet  instances  often  occur  in  which  it  is 
possessed  profoundly,  but  blended  with  very  litde 
practical  good  sense  !  That  kind  of  wisdom  is 
doubtless  meant,  Avhich  will  give  them  ability  to 
manage  the  interests  involved  in  their  office,  so 
as,  on  the  one  hand,  to  avoid  all  unnecessary  diffi- 
culties, and  on  the  other,  by  selecting  the  most 
appropriate  measures,  to  gain,  in  the  surest  possi- 
ble manner,  the  ends  proposed.     Literary  acquire- 


52  QUALIFICATIONS    FOR 

ments,  to  any  considerable  extent,  are  not  essential 
to  the  Deaconship,  consequently,  because  they  do 
not  impart  the  peculiar  powers  required.  And 
besides  this,  deacons  are  not,  as  ministers  are, 
professionally  teachers  of  the  people.  Frequently 
too,  persons  are  found  whose  scientific  advantages 
liave  been  very  limited,  but  who,  nevertheless, 
have  acquired  much  wisdom — much  of  that  dis- 
criminating perception  of  the  character  of  men 
and  things,  which  prepares  them  to  act  well  the 
part  assigned  them  in  ecclesiastical  as  well  as  tem- 
poral affairs.  Such  is  the  wisdom  demanded  for 
the  Deaconship. 

The  necessity  for  careful  attention  in  this  re- 
spect will  be  the  more  apparent  to  all,  if  we  con- 
sider that  without  the  capacity  here  required  the 
deacons  will  never  comprehend  the  nature,  obliga- 
tions, and  extent  of  their  duties.  Enlarged  views, 
a  just  appreciation  of  the  objects  proposed,  and 
clear  perceptions  of  the  measures  to  be  adopted 
to  secure  them,  are  indispensable.  Otherwise 
they  will  be,  as  but  too  many  already  are,  of  little 
or  no  value.  The  time  for  action  ;  the  manner 
of  proceeding ;  and  how  far  any  particular  enter- 
prise should  be  prosecuted ;  demand  wise  counsels. 


THE    DEACONSHIP,  53 

These  are  some  of  the  considerations  that  make 
it  necessary  tliat  the  deacons  be  men  "  Full  of 
wisdom." 

No  one,  in  the  sixth  and  last  place,  should  be 
selected  as  a  deacon,  who  does  not,  in  the  manage- 
ment of  his  own  personal  affairs,  give  promise  of 
efficiency  and  fidelity  in  his  sacred  office. 

Look  around  you.  Examine  into  the  private 
affairs  of  those  you  would  place  in  authority. 
Mark  the  apostolic  porti-ait. — "  Ruling  their  chil- 
dren and  their  own  houses  well."  "  Let  them 
first  be  proved ;  then  let  them  use  the  office  of  a 
deacon."  As  of  a  minister,  so  of  a  deacon : — 
"  Not  a  novice,  lest  being  lifted  up  with  pride,  he 
fall  into  the  condemnation  of  the  devil."  When 
the  apostle  instructs  us  that  they  must  "  first  be 
proved,"  he  does  not  intunate  that  they  must,  pre- 
viously to  their  ordination,  have  exercised  the 
office,  and  thus  have  evinced  their  qualifications  ; 
but  simply,  that  none  be  elected  until,  as  private 
members  of  the  church  and  otherwise,  they  have 
given  full  proof  of  their  character,  religion,  ortho- 
doxy, wisdom,  and  ability,  as  well  as  their  readi- 
ness to  do  the  work  of  the  Deaconship. 

The  admonition  now  under  consideration  is  by 
no  means  singular.  Others,  besides  the  church, 
5* 


54  QUALIFICATIONS    FOR 

are  accustomed  to  look  to  a  man's  family  govern- 
ment, and  to  his  general  management  of  his  own 
concerns,  as  criteria  by  which  to  determine  his 
fitness  for  particular  pursuits,  his  energy  and  the 
probability  of  his  success.  If  we  desire  a  partner 
in  business  ;  or  if  we  find  it  necessary  to  intinist 
our  affairs  to  the  guidance  of  another  person  ;  our 
thouglits  involuntarily  turn  to  such  considerations. 
If  he  is  defective  here,  we  hesitate  to  proceed. 
The  same  principles  hold  good  in  religion.  If  a 
man  comes  short  in  his  own  matters,  "  how  shall 
he  take  care  of  the  church  of  Christ?"  Has 
he  not  promptness,  energy,  firmness,  discretion  1 
Has  he  not  influence  enough  with  his  children  to 
govern  them  ?  Has  he  not  the  requisite  command 
over  his  servants  ?  Is  his  business  left  at  loose 
ends  to  drag  itself  along  ?  Is  he  seldom  ready  to 
meet  his  engagements  at  the  proper  time  ?  Then, 
in  these  respects,  his  character  is  the  reverse  of 
that  which  the  word  of  God  requires  for  a  deacon. 
Whatever  of  influence  he  would  exert  with  his 
brethren  would  tend  to  diffuse  in  the  church  his 
own  defects,  and  thus  deprive  her  of  more  than 
half  of  her  strength. 

Would  you  secure  the  services  of  an  efficient 
deacon,  M*ho  will  conduct  the  church's  affairs  sue- 


THE    DEACONSHIP.  55 

cessfuUy  ?  Select  that  brother  who,  if  in  other 
respects  he  is  of  the  proper  character,  has  his 
family, — his  children  and  servants — under  a  regu- 
lar, mild,  and  firm  government ;  in  whose  house- 
hold economy,  benevolence,  and  regularity,  bear 
rule ;  who  conducts  his  own  business  with  skill 
and  success ;  and  who  attends  promptly,  honor- 
ably, and  energetically,  to  all  his  duties  as  a  man. 
He  is  "  proved,  and  found  blameless — ruling  his 
children  and  his  own  house  well. — Let  him  use 
the  ofBce  of  a  deacon." 

Such  are  the  scriptural  quaUfications  for  the 
Deaconship.  Let  us  recapitulate. — Those  who 
are  appointed  to  this  office  must  be  pure  in  their 
conjugal  relations ;  they  must  be  men  of  unble- 
mished general  reputation  ;  men  of  devout  piety  ; 
men  of  sound  ortliodoxy  in  prmciple ;  men  who 
are  wise  as  to  the  character  of  men  and  things  ; 
and  who  conduct  well  their  own  household  and 
business  affairs.  Will  it  be  objected  to  me  that 
brethren  who  fully  answer  to  this  description  can 
be  very  seldom  found,  and  that  if  all  these  qualifi- 
cations are  insisted  upon,  many  churches  can  have 
no  deacons  at  all  ?  This  supposition  is,  I  think, 
mistaken ;  but  even  were  it  not,  it  would  in  no 
way  change  the  case,  as  it  is  presented  before  us 


56  QUALIFICATIONS,   ETC. 

in  the  divine  record.  I  have  held  up  before  you 
the  inspired  standard,  by  which  your  judgment 
is  to  be  formed.  Shall  the  law  be  lowered  in  its 
obligations,  because  we  may  imagine  that  few 
men,  if  measured  by  it,  would  not  be  found  want- 
ing ?  As  well  might  we  bring  down  the  divine 
standard  of  Christian  excellence,  and  think  to 
adjust  it  to  the  prevailing  character  of  Christian 
morals  ?  Such  a  course  is  not  admissible.  Let 
the  churches  select  as  their  deacons  those  brethren 
who,  in  their  judgment,  approach  nearest  the  in- 
spired rule ;  and  let  all — Deacons  and  people — 
seek  earnestly  to  reach  it — press  ever  "  towards 
the  mark  for  the  prize  of  their  high  calling  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus." 


FORMS    OF    ELECTION.  57 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE    FORMS     OF    ELECTION    AND    ORDINATION    TO 
THE    DEACONSHIP. 

By  whom  Deacons  are  to  be  elected. — Each  separate  con- 
gregation a  true  church. — Every  church  independent. — 
Instructions  before  election. — Manner  of  election. — 
Checks  and  balances  in  government. — Ordaining  form. 
— Instructions  after  ordination. — Duty  of  adhering  to 
Apostolic  form. 

By  whom  are  the  deacons  to  be  elected  and  ap- 
pointed ?  This  is  our  next  inquiry.  I  answer, 
they  are  to  be  elected  by  that  particular  church  in 
which  they  are  to  serve,  and  they  are  to  be  ap- 
pointed,  or  ordained,  by  the  pastor,  aided  by  such 
other  ministers  as  the  church  may  invite  for  that 
purpose. 

Every  separate  congregation  of  believers,  or- 
ganized, with  its  appropriate  officers,  united  toge- 
ther for  the  worship  of  God,  embracing  the  doc- 
trines and  keeping  the  ordinances  of  Christ,  as 


58  FORMS    OF    ELECTION 

they  were  originally  delivered  to  the  saints,  is  a 
true  church  of  the  Redeemer.  As  such,  it  pos- 
sesses full  and  exclusive  powers  of  ecclesiastical 
jurisdiction  over  its  members ;  is  independent  of 
any  external  authority,  and  for  all  its  acts  is  re- 
sponsible alone  to  its  great  Head  in  heaven.  Than 
this  no  truth  in  the  word  of  God  appears  to  me  to 
be  more  firmly  established.  Every  such  congre- 
gation is  a  constituent  part  of  the  universal  Church, 
of  which  Jesus  Christ  is  the  sole  lawgiver,  ruler, 
and  judge.  Where,  in  the  divine  record,  is  the 
example  found  of  one  church  claiming  a  right 
of  jurisdiction  over  another  ?  Nor  is  it  any 
where  intimated  that  any  such  jurisdiction  was 
claimed,  or  exercised,  by  any  body  of  ministers, 
churches,  or  by  the  representatives  of  either,  or  of 
both.  Sessions,  presbyteries,  synods,  conferences, 
consistories,  assemblies,  and  all  similar  bodies, 
legislative  and  judicial,  were  wholly  unknown  in 
the  days  of  the  apostles.  Associations,  conven- 
tions, and  even  councils,  have  no  power  to  go 
further  than  to  offer  their  advice.  When  convened 
for  any  other  purpose  than  to  promote  Christian 
fellowship,  and  the  prosecution,  by  uniting  their 
energies,  of  plans  for  the  further  and  more  effectual 
preaching  of  the  gospel,  they  are  illegitimate,  and 


AND    ORDINATION.  59 

should  not  receive  our  countenance.  Let  us,  for 
proof  of  tills  postulate,  refer  briefly  to  the  word 
of  God.  The  inspired  record  plainly  shows,  that 
each  church,  guided  by  the  divine  law,  conducted, 
in  apostolic  times,  its  own  discipline,  elected  its 
own  officers,  and  took  all  other  necessary  mea- 
sures for  its  own  prosperity  and  usefulness,  and 
for  the  dissemination  abroad  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ.  But  we  descend  to  more  particulaiity. 
Referring  to  an  instance  of  excommunication,  Paul 
says  to  the  Corinthian  church  : — "  In  the  name 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  ye  are  gathered 
together,  and  my  spirit,  with  the  power  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  deliver  such  a  one  [a  man 
who  had  committed  incest]  unto  Satan,  for  the 
destruction  of  the  flesh,  that  the  spirit  may  be 
saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus."*  By  whom 
was  this  excision  to  be  made  ?  By  the  whole 
church  "gathered  together,"  for  which  act  they 
had,  with  pastoral  advice,  "  the  power  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ."  Similar  discipline  is  involved  in 
the  allusions  of  several  other  passages.  "  I 
would,"  says  an  apostie  to  the  Galatians,  "that 
they  were  even  cut  off"  which  trouble  you  ;"t 
and  he  appeals  to  the  church  to  carry  liis  advice 
*  1  Cor.  V.  4,  5.  t  Gal.  v.  12. 


60  FORMS    OF    ELECTION 

into  effect.  Expulsions  from  fellowship  were, 
therefore,  made  by  the  ivhole  church.  So,  also, 
were  restorations.  Speaking,  in  a  second  letter  to 
the  Corinthians,  of  the  same  person,  Paul  thus 
advises  his  readmission  by  them  to  fellowship : 
— r-"  Sufficient  unto  such  a  man  is  this  punishment, 
which  was  inflicted  of  many.  Ye  ought  to  for- 
give him,  and  comfort  him,  lest,  perhaps,  such  a 
one  should  be  swallowed  up  of  overmuch  sorrow. 
Wherefore  I  beseech  you  that  ye  would  confirm 
your  love  towards  him."*  Was  he  not  restored 
by  the  church,  as  a  church  ?  I  may  remark,  that 
in  this  act  is  implied  the  power  of  original  admis- 
sion, which  seems  to  be  also  recognized  in  the 
admonition  to  the  Roman  church: — "Him  that  is 
weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye,  but  not  to  doubtful 
disputations. "t  I  further  observe,  that  the  church, 
as  a  body,  transacted  its  own  ordinary  business. 
Take  two  instances  in  proof.  "  When  I  come," 
said  Paul  to  one  of  them,  "  whomsoever  ye  shall 
approve  by  your  letters,  them  will  I  send  to  bring 
your  liberality." J  And  again,  he  says  : — "  We 
have  sent  with  him  [Titus]  the  brother  whose 
praise  is  in  the  gospel,  throughout  all  the  churches ; 
and  not  that  only,  but  who  was  chosen  of  the 
*  2  Cor.  ii.  6,  7,  8.      t  Rom.  xv.  1.      $  1  Cor.  xvi.  3. 


AND    ORDINATIOX.  61 

churches  to  travel  with  us."*  We  go  further 
still.  It  is  plain  that  the  churches  elected  their 
own  pastors  by  a  full  suffrage,  expressed  by 
\jisie^otovraMtif\\  Stretching  forth  the  hand.  This 
is  particularly  mentioned  of  the  churches  in  Derbe, 
Lystra,  Iconium,  and  others,  planted  by  Paul  and 
Barnabas.  What  was  true  of  their  polity,  was 
certainly  true  of  the  polity  of  all.  But  the  princi- 
ples we  have  now  set  forth  are  confirmed,  illus- 
trated, and  estabUshed,  by  the  manner  of  electing 
the  deacons  pursued  by  the  church  in  Jerusalem.:}: 
The  act  was  performed,  not  by  the  ministry,  or 
by  a  conference,  or  a  session,  but  by  "  the  midti- 
tilde  of  the  disciples''' — all  the  members — com- 
posing that  church.  It  is  not  competent,  then,  to 
be  done — nor  is  it  competent  that  appointments  to 
any  other  offices,  nor  the  exercise  of  any  acts  ol 
general  discipline,  be  done — by  the  pastorship,  by 
any  ninnber  of  the  ministry,  or  any  other  body  of 
men ;  but  by  the  church  only,  and  by  that  particu- 
lar church,  exclusively,  in  which  the  deacons  are 
to  exercise  their  office. 

I  cannot  but  rejoice  that  our  churches,  every 
where,  on  this  subject,  and  all  others  of  a  kindred 
character,  are  so  universally  jealous  of  their  rights. 

*  2  Cor.  viii.  18,  19.      t  Acts  xiv.  23.       X  Acts  vi.  1. 
6 


62  FORMS    OF    ELECTION 

They  are  determined — ^may  that  determination  re- 
main firm  for  ever — that  they  shall  not  be  usurped, 
as  they  have  been  in  so  many  of  the  sects  aromid 
us,  and  appropriated  to  themselves  by  an  ambi- 
tious and  aspiring  clergy.  Let  them  carefully 
maintain  the  principles  of  the  word  of  God ;  let 
them  be  guided  by  its  instructions ;  and,  with  the 
truth,  the  favor  of  Jehovah,  and  consequent  pros- 
perity, they  will,  with  their  own  independence, 
preserve  also  their  usefulness,  and  continued  peace 
and  happiness. 

When  deacons  are  to  be  elected  in  a  new 
church,  or  when,  in  consultation,  in  one  already 
established,  between  the  pastor  and  the  members, 
it  has  been  determined  that  the  appointment  of 
additional  deacons  is  necessary,  their  first  duty  is 
to  receive,  from  their  accredited  teacher,  full  in- 
stinictions  on  the  whole  subject.  This  course  is 
important,  not  only  because  it  is  that  adopted  and 
practised  by  the  aposfles,  but  also  because  it  is 
necessary  that,  in  all  such  cases,  the  members 
should  deliberate  maturely,  with  a  full  knowledge 
of  the  matter  upon  which  they  are  about  to  act.  A 
false  step  in  the  selection  of  the  permanent  officers 
of  a  church  can  seldom  be  retrieved,  and  must 
always   be  productive  of  the  most  melancholy 


AND    ORDINATION.  63 

consequences.  Many  a  church*  has  been  tlius 
overthrown,  and  the  cause  crushed,  witliin  the 
cu-cle  of  its  influence,  for  an  age.  In  the  proceed- 
ings at  Jerusalem — "  The  twelve  called  the  multi- 
tude of  the  disciples  unto  them,  and  said,  It  is  not 
reason  that  we  should  leave  the  word  of  God,  and 
serve  tables.  Wherefore,  brethren,  look  ye  out 
among  you  seven  men,  of  honest  report,  full  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  wisdom,  whom  we  may  appoint 
over  this  business,  [the  temporaUties  of  the 
church,]  but  we  will  give  ourselves  continually  to 
prayer,  and  to  the  ministry  of  the  word."  These 
are  the  topics,  and  their  consideration  should  be 
repeated  whenever  a  similar  duty  is  to  be  per- 
formed. After  ample  time  and  means  have  been 
afforded  for  reflection  and  decision,  the  church,  as 
a  body,  proceeds  to  the  election.  Whether  the 
choice  at  Jerusalem,  which  is  our  perpetual  pre- 
cedent, was  made  by  direct  vote,  or  by  conversa- 
tion and  mutual  agreement  among  themselves,  is 
matter  of  little  consequence.  We  know,  and  that 
is  sufficient,  that  it  was  by  the  suffrage  of  the 
whole  body,  and  that  all  elections  should  still  be 
conducted  in  the  same  manner. 

The    persons    designated    by    any   particular 
church  to  the  Deaconship,  must,  to  render  them 


64  FORMS    OF    ELECTION 

eligible,  be  members  of  its  own  body.  "  Look  ye 
out  mnong  you  seven  men."  This  admonition 
should  be  invariably  regarded,  because  otherwise 
they  may  not  be  sufficiently  known  to  the  mem- 
bers for  them  to  be  able  to  judge  as  to  their  quali- 
fications ;  and  because  their  duties  are  to  be  con- 
fined to  that  one  church.  They  cannot,  without 
a  new  appointment,  exercise  their  office  in  any 
other.  There  is  their  work,  and  there  they  are  to 
conduct  themselves  "  as  good  stewards  of  the 
manifold  grace  of  God."  The  property  and  funds 
of  other  churches  do  not  come  into  their  hands, 
nor,  indeed,  thoee  designed  for  other  than  church 
purposes.  Extraordinary  collections  for  distant 
brethren  and  objects  were,  as  we  learn  from  the 
apostolic  history,*  sent,  not  to  the  deacons,  but  to 
the  elders — the  pastors — through  whom  they 
reached  their  appropriate  destination.  During 
the  famine,  which  occurred  in  the  reign  of  Clau- 
dius Caesar,  "  the  disciples,  every  man  according 
to  his  ability,  determined  to  send  relief  unto  the 
brethren  which  dwelt  in  Judea :  which  they  did, 
and  sent  it  to  the  elders,  by  the  hands  of  Barnabas 
and  Saul." 

At  a  proper  time  after  their  election,  the  persons 
*  Acts  xi.  29,  30. 


AND    ORDINATION.  65 

designed  for  deacons  are  placed,  hy  the  churchy 
before  the  ministers,  whose  duty  it  is  to  appoint 
them.  It  will  doubtless  be  remembered,  that  ap- 
pointment,  and  ordination,  are  two  words  ex- 
pressive of  the  same  action.  The  people  elected 
the  deacons,  and  the  ministers  ordained  tliem. 

This  fact  leads  me  to  venture  a  remark,  in 
passing,  in  regard  to  the  true  principles  of  ecclesi- 
astical polity.  In  the  government  of  states,  what- 
ever its  form,  checks  and  balances  between  the 
several  departments,  are,  by  experience,  found 
to  be  necessary  to  secure  the  interests  of  the 
parties  concerned.  They  have,  accordingly,  been 
adopted  by  all  civihzed  nations.  In  the  church 
of  Christ  the}^  are  instituted  by  divine  autho- 
rity. We  have  now  before  us  a  striking  ex- 
ample. The  ministry  have  no  right  to  ordain  any 
man  to  the  Deaconship,  not  previously  elected  by 
the  church  to  that  office.  The  consent  of  the 
church  is  positively  necessary,  otherwise  he 
would  be  a  deacon  "  at  large" — ^having  no  place 
in  which  to  exercise  his  functions.  On  the  other 
hand,  though  brethren  may  be  elected  by  the 
church,  they  are  still,  unless  ordained  by  the  min- 
istry, not  deacons.  There  must  be  a  concurrence 
between  the  church  and  the  ministry  to  create  the 
6* 


66  FORMS    OF   ELECTION 

officer.  True,  they  do,  commonly,  concur,  but 
not  always,  nor  is  it  by  any  means  a  matter  of 
course.  Similar  checks  and  balances  exist  with 
regard  to  the  ordination  of  pastors  and  evangelists, 
and  the  baptism  of  candidates  for  membership  in 
the  church.  Thus  a  double  guard  is  thrown  around 
all  the  most  important  interests  of  the  kingdom  of 
Messiah. 

So  much  in  regard  to  elections.  The  forms 
of  ordination  of  the  first  deacons — and  these  we 
are  sacredly  bound  always  to  observe — were 
simple.  They  were  set  before  the  apostles  by 
the  church,  expressive  of  their  own  action,  and  the 
consent  and  promise  of  the  candidates  to  fulfil  the 
duties  assigned  them,  "  to  the  best  of  their  know- 
ledge and  ability."  The  twelve,  having  approved 
the  choice,  prayed.  This  was  the  next  step. 
Whether  one  or  more  led  in  the  service,  is  unim- 
portant. Lastly,  after  they  had  prayed,  they  laid 
their  hands  on  them.  Thus  their  appointment 
was  finished,  and  they  were  inducted  into  the 
Deaconship. 

Whether  they  now  received,  as  with  ns,  more 
special  and  particular  instructions,  in  the  form  of 
a  "charge,"  as  to  their  duties,  and  the  importance 
of  their  fidelity,  we  are  left  without  particular  in- 


AND    ORDINATION.  67 

formation.  TFe  all,  however,  need  "line  upon 
line,"  and  "  precept  upon  precept,"  and  it  cannot 
be  improper  thus  to  address  tliose  who  are  placed 
in  conspicuous  and  responsible  positions  in  the 
house  of  God. 

In  this  manner  the  election  and  ordination  of 
the  deacons  were  conducted  and  completed,  and 
"Me  seven''  entered  upon  their  work.  The  most 
happy  results  followed,  and  will  always  follow,  a 
similar  course.  "  The  word  of  God  increased ; 
and  the  number  of  the  disciples  multiplied  in  Jeru- 
salem greatly  ;  and  a  great  company  of  the  priests 
were  obedient  to  the  faith." 

With  some  of  these  forms,  and  especially  the 
laying  on  of  hands,  there  are  brethren,  in  diflerent 
parts  of  our  country,  who  propose  now  to  dis- 
pense. They  offer,  as  a  principal  reason,  our 
inability,  by  that  act,  to  impart  any  virtue.  The 
aposdes,  say  they,  laid  their  hands  on  the  deacons 
to  communicate,  with  other  endowments,  "  the 
gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  This  we  cannot  do. 
It  is,  therefore,  useless,  if  not  presumptuous,  for 
us  to  employ  the  forms.  At  first  view  this  argu- 
ment seems  reasonable.  It  at  least  carries  with  it 
the  appearance  of  humility.     When  tested,  how- 


68  FORMS    OF    ELECTION 

ever,  it  will  not,  I  apprehend,  be  found  unexcep- 
tionable. 

It  is  conceded  that  the  apostles  did,  sometimes, 
but  not  always,  pray,  and  lay  their  hands  on  per- 
sons for  the  purposes  alleged.  But  this  will  be 
found  not  to  have  been  their  design  in  the  ordina- 
tion of  the  deacons.  In  proof  of  this  fact  we 
have  only  to  recur  again  to  the  qualifications  they 
were  required  to  possess  to  justify  their  election. 
Among  these,  it  will  be  remembered,  is  the  follow- 
ing:—" Men  full  of  the  Holy  Ghosts  They 
had  already,  therefore,  receit;ec?  those  extraordinary 
endowments,  to  impart  which,  our  brethren  pre- 
sume, was  the  object  of  the  forms  in  question. 
Since  these,  then,  were  necessary  to  render  them 
eligible,  this  could  not  have  been  the  object  of  the 
apostle. 

Scripture  forais  are  never  enjoined,  either  by 
precedent  or  command,  without  some  good  and 
benevolent  reason.  It  is,  consequently,  always 
important  that  they  should  be  strictly  observed. 
If  I  did  not  know  the  design,  I  would  insist,  in  all 
cases,  upon  the  form.  But  is  this  difficult  to 
ascertain  ?  I  presume  not.  It  appears  to  me  to 
have  been  nothing  more  than  the  solemn  benedic- 


AND    ORDINATION.  G9 

tion,  and  official  recognition  of  the  officers  tlius 
formally  appointed.  Of  all  this,  it  cannot  be  irreve- 
rent for  us  to  say,  modern  ministers  are  fully  as 
capable  as  were  the  apostles  themselves.  Let  us, 
therefore,  brethren,  sedulously  adhere  to  those 
forms,  whatever  they  may  be,  that  we  find  pre- 
scribed in  the  word,  of  God. 

Thus  have  we  considered  and  determmed  by 
whom  the  deacons  are  to  be  elected ;  the  instruc- 
tions to  be  given  to  the  church  before  the  election  ; 
tlie  manner  in  which  the  election  is  to  be  con- 
ducted ;  the  checks  and  balances  instituted  m  the 
government  of  the  church  ;  the  ordaming  form  ; 
the  charge  to  be  given  after  ordination ;  and  the' 
duty  of  adhering,  in  this  and  all  other  cases,  strictly 
to  apostolic  usage. 


70  THE    DUTIES 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  GENERAL  DUTIES  OF  DEACONS. 

Not  to  preach. — Not  to  administer  ordinances. — Not  to 
govern,  except  in  their  own  department. — They  are 
placed  over  temporal  affairs. — Their  relation  to  the 
regular  and  incidental  expenses  of  worship. — To  the 
poor  of  the  church. 

If  the  prosperity  of  the  church  is,  in  any  de- 
gree, dependent  on  the  prompt  and  effectual  per- 
formance of  the  duties  belonging  to  the  Deaconship, 
those  who  are  appointed  to  that  office  must  know 
what  those  duties  are,  their  nature,  extent,  and 
obligation.  Without  this  they  can  never  be  dis- 
charged. How  can  men  do  things  of  which  they 
know  nothing  ?  For  all  practical  ends,  we  had 
as  well  be  without  deacons  as  to  have  those  who 
are  ignorant,  incompetent,  or  unfaithful.  They 
are  not  only  useless,  but  positively  hurtful  to  the 
churches.  They  cannot  but  inflict  the  most 
serious  injuries. 


OF    DEACONS.  71 

What  are  the  duties  of  Deacons  ?  Let  us  ap- 
ply ourselves  diligently,  in  the  light  of  the  word 
of  God,  to  an  examination  of  this  question.  And 
as  it  has  two  sides,  a  negative  and  a  positive  one, 
we  will  first  consider  the  former. 

It  is  not  the  duty  of  the  Deacons  to  preach. 
We  assumed  this  proposition  in  our  first  chapter, 
and  made  then  but  a  passing  remark,  promising 
to  recur  to  it  again.  We  now  proceed  to  discuss 
it  more  fully.  In  half  the  denominations  around 
us,  as  \\«e  have  before  seen,  the  deacons  are 
preachers.  We  are  therefore  admonished,  main- 
taining as  we  do  the  directly  opposite  doctrines, 
to  be  cautious  m  our  words,  and  conclusive  in  our 
arguments. 

The  reasons  alleged  for  the  appointment  of 
deacons  are  sufficient  proof  that  they  are  not,  and 
never  were,  designed  to  preach. 

1 .  Every  church  has,  necessarily,  a  temporal 
as  well  as  a  spiritual  department.  It  must,  as 
we  have  before  said,  have  its  place  of  worship,  its 
pastor,  its  poor,  and  expenses  of  various  kinds, 
requirmg  money  and  property.  These  constitute 
the  former.  The  latter  embraces  worship  and  in- 
struction— "  prayer,  and  the  ministry  of  the 
word."     This  \vas  true  of  the  church  in  Jeru- 


72  THE   DUTIES 

salem.  Originally  both  these  departments  were 
in  the  hands  of  the  apostles.  Turn  again  to 
the  history  of  the  origin  of  the  Deaconship,  and 
recollect  that  the  reasons  for  the  appointment 
of  these  officers  were,  that  the  preachers  might 
be  relieved  from  the  management  of  secular  inter- 
ests, by  placing  them  under  the  direction  of  others. 
This  point  has  already  been  sufficiently  con- 
sidered. 

2.  The  duties  of  the  deacons  are  presented  to 
us  by  the  aposdes  themselves,  as  the  opposite  of 
the  duties  of  the  ministry.  Let  them,  said  they, 
in  their  instructions  to  the  church  at  the  time  of 
their  election,  attend  to  your  temporal  affairs,  and 
"  we  will  give  ourselves  continually  to  prayer  and 
the  ministry  of  the  word."  It  was  never  designed 
then,  by  either  the  aposdes  or  the  church,  that  the 
deacons  should  preach.  On  the  contrary,  they 
elected  to  the  office  those  who  did  not  preach,  and 
because  they  did  not  preach.  This  argument  has 
also  before  been  discussed. 

3.  Consider  the  two  facts  now  before  you,  and 
it  appears  to  me  to  be  impossible  to  suppose  that 
the  deacons  were  or  ought  to  be  preachers,  with- 
out censuring  the  intelligence  both  of  the  aposdes 
and  the  primitive  church.     It  was  their  professed 


OF    DEACONS.  73 

design  in  creating  the  office  to  relieve  tlie  ministry 
from  the  aJministrafion  of  the  cliurch's  temporali- 
ties, and  tliey  appointed  to  discharge  this  duty 
those  who  did  not  preach,  and  because  they  did 
not  preach.  These  facts  cannot  be  disputed. 
Were  the  deacons,  after  all,  ministers  of  tlie  word? 
Then  the  aposdes  and  the  clrar;:]i  did  not  do  what 
they  intended  !  The  matter  rested  precisely  where 
it  was  before.  The  ministry  still  had  the  charge 
of  every  tiling,  in  both  tlie  temporal  and  spiritual 
departments  !  Such  a  conclusion  is  immeasurably 
preposterous; 

4.  Is  it  objected  to  me  that  Philip,  "  one  of  the 
seven,"  did  preach  and  baptize  ?  '^  I  admit  the 
statement  to  be  true  y  but  at  the  same  time  must 
confess  that  I  cannot  see  how  this  weakens  my 
argument  at  all,  since  it  occurred  many  years  after- 
wards ;  and  these  actions  were  especially  per- 
fomied,  not  in  his  character  as  a  deacon,  but  in  his 
office  as  an  evangelist.  The  inspired  writer  is  at 
the  pains  lest,  as  it  would  seem;  we  might  not 
understand  the  matter  fully,  to  inforai  us  of  this 
change  in  the  official  relations  of  Philip.  He  was 
now  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  Deacons,  as  well 
as  other  men,  may  be  called  of  God  to  the  min- 

*  Acts  viii.  5,  38. 

7 


74  THE    DUTIES 

istry.  If  called,  it  is  their  duly  to  obey.  They 
then,  however,  as  Philip  did,  drop  the  office  of  a 
deacon  and  assume  that  of  a  minister.  No  other 
of  the  seven,  so  far  as  we  know,  ever  preached. 
Why  did  they  not  ?  If  deacons  are  ministers,  it 
was  their  duty.  They  all  did  their  duty,  but  they 
did  not  preach.  Therefore  it  was  not  their  duty 
to  preach. 

We  now  see  that  deacons  are  not  preachers, 
because  preaching  was  not  the  desigri  had  in  view 
in  the  creation  of  the  office ;  because  their  duties, 
as  defined  by  the  apostles,  are  the-  opposite  of 
those  of  preachers  ;  because  they  were  especially 
appointed  to  superintend  the  church's  temporal 
department ;  and  because  no  deacons  as  such,  in 
primitive  times,  did  preach,  although  they  fully 
performed  their  duty.  And  if  the  design  and  pur- 
poses of  God  have  not  changed  since  the  begin- 
ning, and  no  one  will  maintain  this,  it  is  still  the 
duty  of  deacons  not  to  preach,  but  to  superintend 
the  same  important  interests  originally  committed 
to  their  charge. 

It  is  not,  I  next  observe,  the  duty  of  deacons 
to  administer  the  ordinances  of  religion. 

The  administration  of  the  ordinances  is  admit- 
ted, on  all  sides,  to  be  the  prerogative  of  the  min- 


OF    DEACONS.  75 

istry.  If  this  be  a  correct  conclusion,  and  if  we 
have  proved  that  deacons  are  not  mmisters,  the 
argument  demonstrates  beyond  doubt  that  they 
are  not  competent  to  the  work.  Their  office  con- 
fers upon  them  no  authority  to  administer  ordi- 
nances. They  generally  receive,  at  the  Lord's 
supper,  the  bread  and  the  wine  from  the  hands  of 
the  pastor,  and  disti'ibute  them  to  the  communi- 
cants. This,  however,  is  not  by  authority,  but 
only  as  a  matter  of  convenience.  Any  other  per- 
sons might  do  the  same  thing.  Nor  is  this,  in  any 
sense,  the  administration  by  them  of  the  eucharist, 
more  than  habiting  and  attending  a  candidate  at 
baptism  is  the  administration  of  baptism.  Dea- 
cons were  employed  thus  at  a  very  early  period. 
It  is  becoming  and  suitable,  and  therefore  not  im- 
proper. 

It  is  not,  lastly,  the  duty  of  the  deacons  to 
rule  in  the  church. 

They  administer  of  course  their  own  depart- 
ment, and  rule  there  and  to  that  extent.  The 
pastors,  in  their  department,  are  said  to  "have 
the  rule."  As  officers  of  the  church,  they  each, 
in  their  own  sphere,  are  rulers,  in  the  same  sense 
that  officers  of  the  civil  government  are  rulers. 
They  are  not  legislators  nor  judges,  but  simply 


76  THE    DUTIES 

executors  of  the  law  of  Christ.  Like  them  they 
are,  both  pastors  and  deacons,  the  servants  of  the 
people,  are  to  be  guided  by  God's  word,  and  have 
not  a  particle  of  peculiar  authority  beyond  the 
precincts  of  iheir  respective  offices.  Their  rule 
cannot  therefore  encroach  upon  the  rights  of  any 
member.  In  the  whole  of  the  government  and 
discipline  of  the  church,  the  most  inconsiderable 
communicant  has  all  the  immunities  and  privileges 
that  belong  to  either  deacons  or  pastors.  Why 
should  it  not  be  so  ?  Every  member  is  alike 
interested,  and  has  the  same  at  stake.  Each  has 
an  equal  right,  and  in  proportion  to  his  religious 
standing  and  intelligence,  may  make  himself  felt. 
These  facts  stimulate  him  to  more  vigorous  and 
constant  exertion.  All  are  called  upon  to  assume 
responsibilities,  and  to  bear  their  parts,  and  act 
under  a  consciousness  that  they  fill  some  space  in 
the  great  work  of  salvation.  As  a  necessary  con- 
sequence they  are  compelled  to  think,  study  the 
word  of  God,  and  be  impressed  with  a  sense  of 
the  magnitude  of  that  account  they  must  one  day- 
give  at  the  judgment  bar.  Thus  the  mass  are 
elevated  in  the  scale  of  intellectuality,  piety,  and 
usefulness.  If  talents  exist  among  them  they  are 
called  forth  in  the  cause  of  Christ ;  and  real  worth 


OF    DEACONS.  77 

soon  finds  its  appropriate  position.  How  wise 
and  salutary,  therefore,  is  the  inspired  pohty  of 
the  kingdom  of  the  Redeemer !  In  these,  as 
much  as  in  any  other  considerations,  is  evinced 
the  superiority  of  that  form  of  ecclesiastical  gov- 
ernment which  Jehovah  has  estabUshed  in  his 
word,  above  all  the  numerous  systems  devised  and 
substituted  for  it  by  the  wisdom  of  men.  Dea- 
cons, except  in  tlieir  own  peculiar  department, 
have  no  rule  in  the  church,  in  any  sense,  not  com- 
mon to  all  the  members  of  "the  household  of 
faith." 

Referring  to  this  topic.  Dr.  Gill  remarks  :— 
"  Deacons  may,  and  should  be,  assisting  to  pas- 
tors and  elders  in  the  care  of  the  church — as  to 
watch  over  the  walk  and  conversation  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  and  to  observe  that  they  keep 
their  places  in  it ;  and  to  exhort,  admonish,  and 
reprove,  as  they  may  find  it  necessary  ;  *  *  * 
to  report  the  state  of  the  church  to  the  elder  or 
pastor,  and  to  reconcile  differences  between  one 
member  and  another,  and  to  prepare  matters  to  be 
laid  before  the  church  at  church  meetings,  when 
needful."*  The  services  here  enumerated  are 
certainly  very  important.     They  should  be  care- 

*  Body  of  Divinity,  vol.  iii.  p.  269. 

7* 


78  THE    DUTIES 

fully  and  diligently  employed.  I  am  surprised, 
however,  to  find  Dr.  Gill  classing  them  among 
the  peculiar  duties  of  the  Deaconship.  If  he 
means  to  say  that  they  of  right  belong  to  that 
office,  I  question  much  whether  in  this  case  he 
has  not  been  led  aside  from  his  usual  accuracy  of 
judgment.  The  Deaconship  does  not  appear  to 
me  to  embrace  tliem  as  a  matter  of  course.  They 
belong  alike  to  all  the  members  of  the  church,  and 
'I  seriously  doubt  M'hether  they  can  be  appropriated 
to  any  specified  individuals  or  officers,  without  so 
taking  away  the  sense  of  responsibility  and  duty 
of  the  whole  as  materially  to  injure  the  efficiency 
of  the  body.  If  it  be  found,  by  fair  experiment, 
that  the  members  will  not  discharge  these  obliga- 
tions, they  may,  by  a  special  act  of  the  church, 
be  submitted  temporarily  to  the  deacons  ;  or  the 
church  may  appoint  a  standing  committee  on  dis- 
cipline, charged  with  their  performance.  Either 
of  these  methods  may  not  be  without  advantage, 
provided  they  are  not  pursued  as  a  permanent 
pohcy ;  and  by  adopting  it  too  much  indiiference 
among  the  members  generally,  in  regard  to  the 
conduct  of  each  other  and  the  discipline  of  the 
church,  is  not  thereby  encouraged.  This  depart- 
ment, substantially,  has,  in  some  denominations, 


OF    DEACONS.  79 

been  put  in  charge  of  "  Elders  who  rule,  but  do 
not  preachy  Their  office,  however,  is  a  human 
device,  has  no  authority  in  the  word  of  God,  in- 
frijigcs  the  rights  of  others,  and  cannot,  conse- 
qucndy,  be  exercised  without  detriment  to  all 
concerned.  Deacons  are  not  ruling  elders.  The 
church  is  free,  made  so  by  Christ,  and  is  com- 
manded to  "  stand  fast  m  that  liberty."  Guided 
by  divine  revelation,  she  is  fully  competent  to 
govern  herself. 

Thus  we  ha^'e  considered  the  negative  side  of 
the  subject — what  are  not  the  duties  of  deacons. 
Let  us  now  proceed  to  address  ourselves  to  the 
opposite  branch,  and  determine  what  obligations 
really  devolve  upon  them. 

By  the  divine  law,  we  repeat  it,  they  are  placed 
over  all  the  temporalities  of  the  church. 

For  this  specific  and  defmite  pui'pose,  and  for 
no  other,  they  were  appointed.  All  the  property 
and  funds  which  belong  to  the  church,  as  a  church, 
is  placed  under  their  direction.  Their  command 
over  them,  however,  is  not  absolute,  but  limited 
to  such  uses  as  the  church  may  order.  The 
benefit  of  the  vvdiole  body  is  the  object,  and  she 
of  necessity  retains  the  right  of  appropriation. 
The  gospel  has  created  certain  standing  regula- 


80  THE    DUTIES 

tions,  which  the  church  makes  definite,  as  those 
lo  the  pastor  and  others.  These  must  be  met 
regularly  and  promptly  at  the  time  appointed. 
Neglects  sometimes  are  indulged  in  by  the  dea- 
cons, in  this  respect,  which  are  often  attended 
with  the  most  melancholy  results.  Decisive 
promptness  is  always  of  the  utmost  consequence. 
Men  of  business  require  it,  and  so  should  the 
church  of  Christ. 

The  fact  that  the  deacons  are  officially  the  de- 
positories, not  of  all  that  the  members  possess,  but 
of  all  the  common  property  and  funds  of  the 
church,  created  and  held  by  her  for  the  purposes 
of  religion,  gives  them  the  peculiar  relation  which 
they  sustain  to  her  ordinary  and  incidental  ex- 
penses, to  the  wants  of  the  poor,  and  to  the  sus- 
tenance of  her  pastor.  All  their  pecuhar  duties 
grov/  out  of  this  single  fact.  They  therefore  de- 
fray, I  remark,  in  the  first  place,  the  expenses 
arising  from  the  convenient  disposition  of  the 
house  of  God,  and  the  regular  and  proper  admin- 
istration of  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel.  These, 
in  many  instances,  are  very  inconsiderable ;  in 
others  they  are  by  no  means  small ;  yet  they  are 
all  necessary,  and,  small  or  large,  must  be  in- 
curred. 


OF    DEACONS.  81 

Let  us  indulge  in  a  little  particularity.  The 
house  of  worship  must  be  comfortable  in  itself. 
At  night  it  must  be  lighted  ;  in  summer  it  must 
be  ventilated;  and  in  the  winter  it  must  be 
warmed.  The  services,  consequently,  of  a  sex- 
ton, or  some  one  to  take  cliarge  of  it,  must  be 
procured,  who  will  perform,  these  necessary  du- 
ties. Janitors,  too,  in  many  churches,  are  indis- 
pensable. 

Baptism  must  be  administered,.  God's  word 
commands : — "  Let  all  things  be  done  decently 
and  in  orc7er."  Baptism  is  surely  among  these 
"  all  things^  But  it  cannot  be  filly  dispensed, 
unless  we  have  a  suitable  place  prepared,  and  the 
candidates,  in  receiving  the  ordinance,  be  properly 
habited  and  attended.  When  appropriately  or- 
dered, how  striking,  how  beautiful,  how  impres- 
sive, how  solemn,  is  baptism.  Thousands  have 
been  convinced  of  sin,  and  guided  to  the  service 
of  God  by  the  simple  witnessing  of  this  lioly  rite. 
But  how  often  is  all  its  touching  influence  lost, 
and  does  even  the  ordinance  itself  become,  to 
many,  repulsive,  for  want  of  the  scriptural  atten- 
tion to  its  circumstances, — decency  and  order  1 
From  our  censurable  neglect  in  conducting  these 


82  THE    DUTIES 

very  particulars,  most  serious  evil  has  resulted. 
Thence  the  op  posers  of  apostolic  baptism  have 
drawn  their  most  effective  arguments  against  it. 
They  point  to  our  slovenly  acts  reproachfully, 
and  multitudes  who  witness  tliem  shrink  from  the 
idea  of  a  similar  personal  exposure.  Shall  we, 
while  substantially  obedient  to  the  rite  as  a  whole, 
make  ourselves  transgressors,  by  violating  the  law 
of  God  in  relation  to  its  circumstances  ?  Shall  we 
permit  our  strength  thus  to  become  weakness,  and 
our  good  evil  ?  Few  of  our  churches,  I  fear,  and 
especially  in  country  places,  are  without  sin  in 
this  particular. 

The  table  of  the  Lord  must  frequently  be 
spread.  The  necessary  furniture  for  the  purpose, 
as  well  as  the  elements,  must  be  provided  and  su- 
perintended. 

Not  unfrequently  the  church  invites  evangelists, 
or  neighboring  ministers,  to  aid  their  pastor  on 
special  occasions.  Their  expenses  are  to  be  paid, 
and  their  toils  compensated.  David  would  not 
offer  to  God  a  sacrifice  which  cost  him  nothing. 
Shall  the  church  of  Christ  offer  to  God  sacrifices 
that  not  only  cost  her  nothing,  but  are  unjustly 
wrung  from  the  labors  of  her  impoverished  pas- 


OF    DEACONS.  83 

torship  ?  This  act  is  beneath  lier,  and  should 
never  be  permitted  to  sully  the  escutcheon  of  her 
honor. 

Cut  who  are  to  superintend,  regulate,  and  carry- 
all these  important  arrangements  into  effect  ?  Too 
often,  as  we  have  melancholy  evidence,  they  are 
most  painfully  overlooked,  and,  in  many  respects, 
totally  disregarded.  They  constitute  one  great 
branch  of  the  duties  of  the  Deaconship.  They 
are  responsible  for  whatever,  in  these  and  similar 
things,  the  reputation  and  interest  of  our  holy  re- 
hgion  may  require.  The  means  have  been,  or 
should  be,  placed  in  their  hands  for  the  purposes 
enumerated,  and  they  must  not  only  disburse 
them,  but  give,  at  the  same  time,  so  much  of  their 
personal  attention  and  service  as  may  be  neces- 
sary. 

I  next  observe,  that  the  duties  of  the  deacons 
require  ihem  to  administer  to  the  wants  of  the 
poor,  the  distressed,  the  afflicted,  the  fatherless, 
and  the  widows  of  the  household  of  faith,  and 
especially  of  their  own  particular  church. 

One  of  the  great  excellencies  of  religion  is  its 
affectionate  care,  extended  to  all  these  classes  of 
our  fellow  beings.  Those  who  enter  fully  into 
its  benevolent  feelings  have  the  peculiar  benedic- 


84  THE    DUTIKS 

lions  of  Heaven.  It  is  God  who  iias  said: — 
*'  Blessed  is  he  who  considereth  the  poor."  What 
we  do  for  the  rehef  of  the  necessitous  of  all 
grades,  our  Redeemer  chooses  to  consider  as  done 
to  himself.  "I  was  an  hnngered,"  said  he,  "  and 
ye  gave  me  meat ;  I  was  thirsty  and  ye  gave  me 
drink ;  I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in ; 
naked,  and  ye  clothed  me  ;  I  was  sick,  and  ye 
visited  me  ;  I  v/as  in  prison  and  ye  came  unto 
me."  But  when  and  how  did  we  all  this  ?  He 
himself  answers  : — "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done 
it  unto  the  least  of  these,  my  brethren,  ye  have 
done  it  unto  me."*  Atid  yet  more — we  are  as- 
sured, by  divine  authority,  if  there  are  any  who 
have  no  sympathy  with  the  suffering  and  de- 
pendent, that  they  prove  thereby  that  they  have 
no  religion.  "  Whoso  hath  this  world's  good, 
and  seeth  his  brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up 
his  bowels  of  compassion  from  him,  how  dwT^leth 
the  love  of  God  in  him."t  And  again — "  Pure  re- 
ligion, and  undefiled,  before  God  and  the  Father,  is 
this — To  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their 
affliction,  and  to  keep  himself  unspotted  from  the 
world. "."j:  I  shall  only  add,  in  the  words  of  our 
Saviour, — "  Ye  have  the  poor  with  you  always, 
*  Matt.  xxvi.  35-41.    t  1  John  iii.  17.     t  James  i.  27. 


OF    DEACOXS.  85 

and    whensoever    ye    will,    ye    may   do    them 
good."*- 

Such  are  the  teachings  of  the  word  of  God. 
With  tliem  every  tme  christian  is  most  anxious 
to  comply.  The  obhgation  rests  upon  all  to 
feed  the  hungry,  to  extend  hospitality  to  the 
stranger,  to  clothe  the  naked,  to  visit  the  sick,  to 
relieve  the  distressed,  and  to  provide  for  the 
orphan  and  the  widow  in  their  affliction.  In  their 
individual  capacities,  they  should  do,  in  this  be- 
half, whatever  they  may  find  practicable.  But  a 
few  persons  cannot  accomplish,  alone  and  unaided 
by  others,  all  that  may  be  necessary  or  desired. 
Each  one,  except  in  rare  instances,  can  only  do  a 
small  part.  The  church,  therefore,  unites  all  her 
members  for  its  successful  prosecution.  Every 
one  contributes  what  he  is  able,  and  the  privilege 
is  allowed  to  all.  The  sums  thus  procured  are 
placed  in  the  hands  of  the  deacons,  who  are  tfie 
divinely  appointed  almoners  of  their  bounty.  So 
zealous  and  constant  were  primitive  Christians  in 
these  acts  of  gospel  benevolence,  that  they  thereby 
attracted  the  admiration  of  the  whole  world.  Julian 
the  apostate,  Emperor  of  Rome,  one  of  their  bit- 
terest enemies,  insists  in  his  writings,!  that  they 

*  Mark  xiv.  7.  t  Dwight's  Theol.  vol.  iv.  p.  295, 

8 


86  THE    DUTIES 

did  as  much,  in  tliis  way,  for  the  spread  of  their 
principles,  as  they  did  even  by  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel,  censuring,  at  the  same  time,  the  pagans 
for  their  careless  neglect.  All  were  compelled  to 
exclaim  : — "  See  how  these  Christians  love  one 
another." 

How  beautifully  benign  are  the  purposes  of  the 
gospel !  They  are  indeed  worthy  of  a  religion 
which  proposes  to  humanize  and  bless  the  world, 
as  well  as  to  prepare  the  soul  for  heaven  !  How 
effective,  when  scripturally  administered,  is  the 
church — the  divine  organization — for  their  prose- 
cution !  It  is  from  God,  and  therefore  suitable. 
But  have  tve  not  7ioic  painfully  declined  from  the 
spirit  and  zeal  of  early  times  ?  Where,  in  this 
behalf,  are  our  "  works  of  faith,  and  labors  of 
love  ?"  Is  it  not  true  that  some  societies  around 
us  are  much  more  attentive  and  faithful  than  is 
even  the  church  of  Christ?  When  1  see  these 
merely  human  associations  relieving  their  poor, 
supporting  their  dependent  widows,  and  rearing 
and  carefully  educating  the  orphans  of  dieir  de- 
ceased members,  and  by  the  bed-side  of  their  sick 
day  and  night  while  they  live,  and  kindly  render- 
ing the  last  offices  of  aflection  when  dead,  I  can 
but  blush  for  the  criminal  negligence  of  the  people 


OF    DEACONS.  87 

of  God.  Can  it  be,  that  those  who  do  not  pro- 
fess to  be  influenced  by  the  same  exahed  motives 
that  guide  us,  who  look  no  higher  than  to  friend- 
ship and  humanity,  shall  so  far  outstrip  us  in  the 
race  of  love  and  benevolence  ?  Brethren,  dea- 
cons, ministers,  shall  this  reproach  continue  ? 
When  will  the  church  arise  to  a  proper  sense  of 
her  own  dignity  and  duty  in  this  department  of 
her  labors  ? 

These  duties,  in  their  performance,  necessarily 
involve  another.  Much  visiting  by  the  deacons 
will,  I  apprehend,  be  found  positively  indispensa- 
ble. 

Without  this,  especially  among  the  classes  to 
be  benefited,  how  can  they  know  ^vho  they  are, 
and  become  sufficiently  familiar  with  all  their  cir- 
cumstances and  wants  to  guide  them  in  the  mea- 
sures most  proper  to  be  adopted  ?  And  to  keep 
up  the  required  knowledge  the  process  must  be 
perpetuated.  There  are  those  who  do  not  need 
pecuniary  aid,  but  only  advice,  and  perhaps  assist- 
ance in  procuring  employment.  In  other  cases 
the  gratuity  bestowed  will  be  of  little  service  un- 
less personal  attentions  are  added.  This  is  true 
in  numerous  examples,  but  especially  in  the  in- 
stances of  the  orphan  children  of  our  brethren  and 


88  THE    DUTIES 

sisters  who  die  in  poverty.  Duty  requires  that 
the  church  should  rear  all  such,  educate  them,  and 
prepare  them  for  usefuhiess  in  life.  Yet  other 
examples  are  constantly  occurring,  of  persons  who 
are  not  by  any  means  poor  or  dependent,  but  to 
whom  we  must  look  with  as  much  care  as  to 
those  who  are.  The  heart  that  is  in  affliction  is 
soothed  and  comforted  by  our  fraternal  sympathy. 
Our  presence  in  the  sick  chamber  of  a  brother  or 
a  sister  is  often  of  great  consequence.  Such 
attentions  are  infinitely  more  valuable  than  gold. 
When  the  deacons  cannot  give  them,  individually, 
they  should  call  upon  others,  and  no  benevolent 
heart,  if  possible  to  do  otherwise,  would  decline  a 
service  so  sacred.  Brethren — "  To  do  good  and 
to  communicate,  forget  not ;  for  with  such  sacri- 
fices God  is  well  pleased." 

Some  of  the  duties  of  the  Deaconship  now 
enumerated,  will  always  be  agreeable,  often  de- 
lightful. They  will  occasionally  find,  among 
those  to  whom  they  minister,  elegant  simplicity, 
mingled  with  intelligence  and  fervent  piety. 
Again,  their  work  will  be  not  a  litde  repulsive. 
It  is  no  grateful  task  to.  scour  the  numerous  lanes 
and  by-ways  of  our  cities  and  country  ;  and  thrust 
ourselves  into  the  hovels  of  ignorance,  wretched- 


OF    DEACONS.  89 

ness  and  disease.  But  the  labor  is  not  more  ardu- 
ous than  it  is  holy  and  god-hke,  and  those  who 
perform  it  shall  not,  even  in  this  world,  lose  their 
reward.  "  For  they  that  have  used  the  office  of 
a  deacon  well,  purchase  to  themselves  a  good  de- 
gree, and  great  boldness  in  the  faith  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus." 

These  comprehend  most  of  the  general  duties 
of  the  deacons — not  to  preach,  not  to  administer 
ordinances,  not  to  rule,  except  in  their  own  depart- 
ment ;  but,  as  they  are  placed  over  all  the  tem- 
poral affairs  of  the  church,  they  defray,  not  from 
their  own  means  but  from  the  treasury,  the  ordi- 
nary and  incidental  expenses  of  divine  worship, 
and  have  charge  of  the  poor,  the  dependent,  the 
afflicted,  the  widow,  and  the  fatherless. 

It  is  proper  for  us  now  to  consider  the  duties 
of  deacons  with  reference  to  the  pastorship.  This, 
however,  must  occupy  the  next  chapter. 


8* 


90  THE    DUTIES 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  DUTIES  OF  DEACONS  WITH  REFERENCE  TO 
THEIR  PASTORS. 

Necessity  of  pastoral  support. — The  law  which  governs  it. 
—The  teachings  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles. — Apostolic 
practice. — Reason  and  justice. — Importance  of  a  full 
understanding  between  Pastor  and  Church. 

As  the  superintendents  of  all  the  temporalities 
of  the  church,  the  duties  of  the  deacons  require 
them  to  see  tliat  their  pastor  receive  a  competent 
temporal  support. 

Here  I  apprehend  they  will  meet,  unless  they 
have  a  wisely  constructed  scheme  of  finance  in 
successful  operation,  the  greater  part  of  their  labor 
and  difficulty.  A  much  larger  amount  is  necessary 
for  pastoral  sustenance  than  is  needful  for  general 
purposes  ;  and  a  regular  and  uninterrupted  supply 
is  absolutely  indispensable.  If  it  should  fail  even 
for  a  few  months,  the  whole  machinery  must 
cease  ;  because  pastors,  without  food  and  raiment 
and  a  place  of   shelter,  if  dependent,   as   they 


OF    DEACONS.  91 

usually  are,  wholly  upon  the  church,  can  neither 
preach  nor  adequately  discharge  any  other  of  the 
claims  of  their  office. 

Let  us  exapme  briefly,  since  it  is  immediately 
connected  with  the  Deaconship,  the  general  sub- 
ject of  pastoral  support. 

The  law  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  guarantees 
thus  much  to  the  preacher,  as  a  proper  return 
from  those  whom  he  serves.  The  pro\ision  is, 
indeed,  not  peculiar  to  the  gospel,  it  is  founded  in 
reason  and  justice,  and  has  fully  obtained  m  all 
nations  and  ages.  Even  among  idolators  and  pa- 
gans the  ministers  of  religion  are  sustained  by 
tlieir  religion.  This  principle  is  taught  in  the 
law  of  Moses. 

The  priests  were  made  dependent  for  the  means 
of  life  upon  their  spiritual  avocation.  Beyond  the 
house  in  which  they  resided  they  were  not  allowed 
any  possession  in  the  land  of  Canaan.  The  Lord 
said  unto  Aaron  : — "  Thou  shalt  have  no  inherit- 
ance in  the  land,  neither  shalt  thou  have  any  part 
among  them.  I  am  thy  part,  and  thine  inlieritance, 
among  the  cliildren  of  Israel."*  Again — "  The 
Lord  separated  the  tribe  of  Levi  to  bear  the  ark  of 
the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  to  stand  before  the  Lord 
*  Numb,  xviii.  20. 


92  THE    DUTIES 

to  minister  unto  liim,  and  to  bless  his  name,  unto 
this  day.  Wherefore  Levi  hath  no  part  nor  in- 
heritance with  his  brethren.  The  Lord  is  his 
inheritance,  according  as  the  Lord  thy  God  pro- 
mised him."*  And  again' — "  The  Levite  that  is 
within  thy  gates,  thou  shalt  not  forsake  him,  for 
he  hath  no  part  nor  inheritance  with  thee."t  Yet 
again — "  The  priests,  the  Levites,  and  all  the  tribe 
of  Levi,  shall  have  no  inheritance  with  Israel. 
They  shall  eat  the  offerings  of  the  Lord  made  by 
fire,  and  his  inheritance.  Therefore,  they  shall  have 
no  inheritance  among  their  brethren.  The  Lord 
is  their  inheritance,  as  he  hath  said  unto  them.":}: 
Once  more — "  The  Levites  have  no  part  am"Ong 
you;  for  the  priesthood  of  the  Lord  is  their 
inheritance." 

The  manner  in  which  the  priests  under  the 
law  received  their  compensations,  was  so  mingled 
with  the  performance  of  the  duties  of  their  office, 
that  the  neglect  of  one  was  the  loss  of  the  other. 
But  to  the  faithful  there  was  no  want.  Thus  it 
is  seen  that  under  the  former  economy  ample  pro- 
visions Avere  made  for  the  comfortable  sustenance 
of  the  ministers  of  religion. 

Substantially,  the  same  provisions  are  continued 
*  Deut.  X.  8,  9.    t  Deut.  xiv.  27.    t  Deut.  xviii.  1,  2. 


OF    DEACONS.  93 

under  the  gospel.  The  forms  are  abrogated,  but 
the  principle  is  retauied.  An  apostle  was  certainly 
of  this  opinion  when  he  said  to  the  Corinthians — 
"  Do  ye  not  know  tliat  they  wliich  minister  about 
holy  things  [under  tlie  law,]  live  of  the  things  of 
the  temple  ?  And  they  which  wait  at  the  altar 
are  partakers  with  the  altar  ?  Even  so  [under  the 
gospel,]  hath  the  Lord  ordained,  that  they  w^hich 
preach  the  gospel  should  live  of  the  gospel."* 
Justice  and  right  are  immutable.  And  while  the 
word  of  God  requires  a  ministry  for  its  propa- 
gation and  defence,  so  long  will  those  Mho  are 
devoted  to  this  work  be  authorized  to  claim  such 
temporal  support  as  their  circumstances  may  re- 
quire, and  as  may  be  rendered  practicable  or  pro- 
per by  tlie  condition  of  tlie  people  under  their 
charge. 

This,  Paul  says,  is  not  only  the  law  of  the 
Mosaic  economy,  but  the  Lord  has  ordained  it 
under  the  gospel.  Christ  has  ordained — enacted 
a  statute — established  a  law — that  "  those  who 
preach  the  gospel  shall  live  of  the  gospel."  In  a 
synopsis,  it  may  be  stated  thus — "  These  twelve 
Jesus  sent  forth,  and  commanded  them,  saying — • 
Go — and  as  ye  go,  preach.     Provide  neither  gold, 

*   1  Cor.  is.  13,  14. 


94  THE    DUTIES 

nor  silver,  nor  brass  in  your  purses,  nor  scrip 
[provisions]  for  your  journey,  neither  two  coats, 
neither  shoes,  nor  yet  staves,  [weapons  of  de- 
fence,] yi*/*  the  workman  is  worthy  of  his  meat,''''* 
This  lias  regard  to  the  apostles.  But  it  w^as  re- 
peated for  the  government  of  the  seventy  disci- 
ples, and  almost  in  the  same  words.  It  may  be 
thus  abridged — "  The  Lord  appointed  other  seventy 
also,  and  sent  them  two  and  two,  before  his  face, 
into  every  city  whither  he  himself  would  come. 
Therefore  said  he  unto  them — go  your  ways — 
carry  neither  purse  nor  scrip,  nor  shoes — -for  the 
laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire.^^'\  The  same  law, 
Paul  tell  us,  in  the  passage  recited,  is  applicable 
and  perpetually  binding,  as  to  all  those,  in  every 
age,  who,  with  the  proper  sanctions,  preach  the 
gospel.  Its  provisions  relate  exclusively  to  min- 
isters, and  regard  solely  their  temporal  support 
and  comfort.  Such  is  the  law,  or  ordinance  of 
our  liord,  brought  forward  as  authority  by  the 
apostle,  and  which  secures  to  the  minister,  whether 
he  be  pastor,  evangelist,  or  missionary,  food,  and 
clothing,  and  shelter,  and  whatever  else  his  wants 
may  render  necessary,  so  long  as  he  may  be  faith- 
fully employed  in  his  sacred  calling. 

*  Matt.  X.  5-16.  t  Luke  x.  12. 


OF    DEACONS.  95 

As  might  naturally  be  supposed,  both  the  teach- 
ing and  the  practice  of  the  apostles,  are  in  accord- 
ance with  this  principle.  We  v/ill  examine  them 
separately. 

The  apostolic  teaching,  in  regard  to  ministerial 
support,  is  very  plain  and  decided. 

Referrmg  to  this  subject,  Paul  thus  addresses 
himself  to  the  Corinthians — "  Who  goeth  a  war- 
fare, any  time,  at  his  ov/n  charges  ?  W^ho  plant- 
eth  a  vineyard,  and  eateth  not  of  the  fruit  thereof? 
Or  who  feedeth  a  flock,  and  eateth  not  of  the  milk 
of  the  flock  ?  Say  I  these  things  as  a  man  ?  Or 
saith  not  the  law  the  same  also  ?  For  it  is  writ- 
ten in  the  law  of  Moses — Thou  shalt  not  muzzle 
the  mouth  of  the  ox  that  treadeth  out  the  com. 
Doth  God  take  care  for  oxen  ?  Or  saith  he  it 
altogether  for  our  sakes  ?  For  our  sakes,  no 
doubt,  this  is  written;  that  he  that  plougheth 
should  plough  in  hope,  and  that  he  that  thresheth 
in  hope  should  be  partaker  of  his  hope.  If  we 
have  sown  unto  you  spiritual  thuigs,  is  it  a  great 
thing  if  we  should  reap  your  carnal  things  ?"* 
To  present,  in  other  words,  the  sum  of  the  apos- 
tle's argument — God  is  careful  even  for  oxen,  and 
has  stipulated  by  law,  that  those  for  whom  they 
*  1  Cor.  ix.  7-11. 


96  THE    DUTIES 

toil  should  suitably  provide  for  their  wants.  They 
shall  not  be  muzzled.  Can  he  be  less  careful  for 
his  ministers  ?  He  also  requires  their  support. 
If  they  plough,  and  sow,  and  reap,  and  thresh  in 
your  fields,  you  cannot  do  less  for  them  than  you 
do  for  your  oxen.  If  they  labor  for  your  instruc- 
tion and  salvation,  and  thus  "  sow  unto  you  spi- 
ritual things,"  their  support  from  your  "carnal 
things"  is  a  small  matter.  You  have  done  no 
"great  things"  when  it  is  freely  and  promptly 
given. 

The  Galatians  were  impressed  with  the  same 
lesson.  "  Let  him  that  is  taught  in  the  word 
communicate  to  him  that  teacheth  in  all  good 
things."*  He  who  receives  instruction  in  Chris- 
tianity, by  the  public  preaching  of  the  word — 
having  become  a  party  to  the  pastoral  compact, 
for  this  passage  refers  directly  to  the  pastorship — 
is,  by  the  gospel,  required  to  aid  in  supporting  the 
teacher.  Some  of  the  Galatian  believers,  it 
would  seem,  were  willing,  and  such  probably  may 
be  found  among  us,  to  receive  the  benefits  of  the 
Christian  ministry  without  contributing  to  sustain 
it !     Such  a  spirit  and  conduct  are  here,  by  the 

*  Gal.  vi.  6. 


OF    DEACONS.  97 

Holy  Ghost,  condemned  as  ungrateful,  unjust,  and 
unworthy  a  disciple  of  the  Redeemer. 

Numerous  other  passages  might  be  adduced, 
almost  any  of  which  is  decisive  as  to  the  teach- 
ings of  the  apostles.  The  whole,  taken  together, 
camiot  be  resisted. 

But  what  was  their  practice  ?  Did  they  and 
the  evangelists  actually,  as  a  general  rule,  while 
they  preached  to  the  people,  receive  support  from 
them  ?  This  has  been  doubted  by  candid  men, 
both  ministers  and  others,  on  account,  it  would 
appear,  of  the  statements  of  Paul  to  some  of  the 
churches,  that  he  had  not  received  aid  from  them, 
but  while  he  labored  in  their  service  had  supported 
himself. 

The  ministers  of  the  gospel,  certainly  received 
before  the  crucifixion,  according  to  the  ordinance 
— the  law — of  Christ,  all  needful  support  from 
the  people.  When -the  twelve,  and  the  seventy, 
sent  out  in  the  manner  already  described,  had 
finished  their  mission  and  returned  to  their  master, 
Christ  said  to  them — "  When  I  sent  you  without 
purse,  and  scrip,  and  shoes,  lacked  ye  any  thing  ? 
And  tliey  said  [we  lacked]  nothing."*  They, 
therefore,   were    comfortably   fed,    clothed,    and 

*  Luke  xxii.  35. 

9 


98  THE    DUTIES 

lodged,  and  as  some  had  families,  even  more  than 
this  must  have  been  given  by  the  people  to  whom 
they  preached,  and  actually  received  by  them. 

The  proof  is  not  less  conclusive,  that  during 
the  apostolic  age  the  same  condition  of  things  was 
continued.  Paul,  when  preaching  at  Philippi, 
thus  wrote  to  the  Corinthians — "  I  am  glad  of  the 
coming  of  Stcphanus,  and  Fortunatus,  and  Achai- 
cus ;  for  that  which  was  lacking  on  your  part  they 
have  supplied."*  To  the  Philippians,  while  at 
Rome,  the  same  apostle  thus  addresses  himself: 
— "  Now  ye  Phihppians,  know  also,  that  in  the 
beginning  of  the  gospel,  when  I  departed  from 
Macedonia,  no  church  communicated  with  me  as 
concerning  giving  and  receiving,  but  ye  only. 
For  even  in  Thessalonica,  ye  sent  once  and  again 
unto  my  necessities.  [Now]  I  have  all  things 
and  abound.  I  am  full ;  having  received  of  Epa- 
phroditus  the  things  which  were  sent  from  you, 
an  odour  of  a  sweet  smell,  a  sacrifice  acceptable, 
well  pleasing  to  God.  [And]  My  God  shall  sup- 
ply all  your  needs,  according  to  his  riches  in  glory 
by  Christ  Jesus."t  To  the  Corinthians  he  says  : 
— "  I  robbed  other  churches,  taking  wages  of 
them,  to  do  you  service.  And  when  I  was  with 
*  1  Cor.  xvi.  17.  t  Phil.  iv.  15-20. 


OF    DEACONS.  99 

you  and  wanted,  I  was  chargeable  to  no  man  [of 
you],  for  tliat  which  was  lackhig  to  me  the  breth- 
ren which  came  from  Macedonia  supphed."* 

"Who  that  reads  these,  and  similar  passages, 
can  longer  seriously  question  whether  the  apostles 
and  evangelists  accepted,  and  received  the  support, 
as  pastors  and  other  ministers  must  now  do,  which 
they  needed;  w^hich  the  people,  as  a  religious 
duty,  offered ;  and  which  it  was  their  right  to 
claim,  by  the  law  of  the  King  in  Zion  ? 

I  do  not,  however,  maintain  that  all  professed 
ministers  should  be  provided  with  a  temporal  sup- 
port by  the  church.  And  for  the  instruction  of 
deacons  in  this  particular,  as  to  their  duty,  it  is 
necessary  that  we  shall  suggest  the  discriminations 
which  are  to  be  made. 

Those  who  are  entitled  to  support  mi<'5^  be  true 
ministers  of  Jesus  Christ  )  and  they  must  fully 
do  the  ivork  of  the  ministry. 

The  first  and  most  important  qualification  of  a 
true  minister  is,  that  he  who  claims  diis  character 
shall  be  a  true  christian — -born  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  and  possess  high  and  spiritual  endowments. 
As  a  second  qualification  he  must  have  united 
himself  .with  the  true  church,  and  he  must  have 
*  2  Cor.  xi.  S,  9. 


100  THE    DUTIES 

received  her  approval  of  his  devoting  himself  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry.  This  sanction  consists 
in  her  own  official  act,  expressing  her  opinion 
that  he  is  called  of  God,  and  qualified  for  the 
work ;  and  his  regular  ordination  by  a  lawfully 
constituted  presbytery.  His  third  qualification 
embraces  his  ability  to  teach,  which  involves  the 
power  of  perception,  facility  of  utterance,  and  a 
competent  knowledge  of  the  word  of  God.  Lastly, 
his  life  and  doctrine  must  accord  with  the  teach- 
ings of  divine  revelation.  He  cannot  be  a  legiti- 
mate minister  of  Christ  who  does  not  preach  and 
practise,  and  live,  according  to  the  gospel.  These 
four  quaUfications  must  combine  to  make  a  man  a 
true  minister  of  Christ. 

But  a  man  may  be  such  minister  and  yet  de- 
vote himself  but  very  partially  to  the  work  of 
preaching.  If,  in  other  respects,  he  is  unexcep- 
tionable, but  is  a  farmer,  a  merchant,  a  school 
teacher,  or  something  else,  and  preaches  only 
when  he  can  do  so  without  material  injury  to  his 
main  pursuits,  I  do  not  think  him  entitled  to  any 
support.  If  he  give  only  part  of  his  time  and 
thoughts,  a  small  compensation,  if  any  thing,  only 
is  due.  To  such,  I  cannot  doubt,  the  apostle  al- 
ludes when  he  says — "  Let  the  elders  [bishops 


OF    DEACONS.  101 

— pastors]  Avho  rule  well,  be  counted  worthy  of 
double  honor  [AtrtX?7jTLUj;j,  double  reward,  stipend, 
wages,]  especially  they  who  labor  in  word  and 
doctrine.  For  the  scripture  saith — Thou  shalt 
not  muzzle  the  ox  that  ti'eadeth  out  the  corn."* 
That  this  text  has  reference  to  pastoral  support,  is 
certainly  true  for  three  reasons.  The  first  is  the 
title  of  the  person  named.  He  is  a  presbyter — 
elder — bishop.  Not  a  man  who  rules,  but  does 
not  preach,  because  such  an  officer  is  unknown  to 
the  word  of  God ;  but  a  minister  who  preaches 
and  rules  Avitli  diligence  and  fidelity.  The  second 
is,  the  sense  of  the  word  tt^?;?,  rendered  in  our 
common  version  honor.  That  it  means  that  kind 
of  honor  which  embraces  wages,  or  reward,  is 
admitted  by  all  critics  of  any  pretensions.  The 
last  reason,  is  the  cause  assigned  for  double  wages 
to  the  faithful  bishop — "Thou  shalt  not  muzzle 
the  ox  that  treadeth  out  the  corn ;  and  the  laborer 
is  worthy  of  his  reward."  Such  an  elder — 
bishop,  or  pastor — ^who  is  faithful  and  devoted,  is 
entitled  to  a  full  support,  because  he  must  devote 
all  his  time,  talents,  and  energy,  to  the  work.  But, 
on  the  other  hand,  he  who  sacrifices  and  labors 
less,  is  entitled  to  very  little  reward. 

*  1  Tim.  V.  17,  IS. 
9» 


102  THE    DUTIES 

But  are  we  authorized  to  fix  previously  a  defi- 
nite amount  to  be  paid  to  those  who  preach  the 
gospel — to  offer  him  a  stipulated  salary  ? 

Why,  I  ask,  are  we  not !  It  appears  to  me  to 
be  necessary  and  proper  for  three  reasons.  Under 
the  law,  the  precedent  from  which  Paul  constantly 
reasons  on  this  subject,  the  amount,  all  must  con- 
fess, which  was  awarded  to  the  ministers  of  reli- 
gion, was  fixed,  definite,  and  previously  appointed, 
the  tithe  of  all  their  increase.  The  terms  em- 
ployed by  the  New  Testament,  teach  the  same 
doctrine.  Ministerial  support  is  called  their 
"  t^w^es,"  their  "/u're,"  and  their  ^^  reward^ 
These  words  certainly  describe  a  specific  sum. 
Reason  also  requires  that  it  should  be  so.  Every 
minister,  if  he  is  dependent,  and  intends  to  main- 
tain his  character  as  an  honorable  man,  ought, 
beforehand,  to  know  what  amount  he  may  rely 
upon,  otherwise,  as  he  must  incur  debts  for  the 
means  of  life,  and  may,  confidently,  expect  from 
the  church  more  than  he  will  receive,  he  is  liable 
to  be  overwhelmed  at  any  time.  Indeed  he  can 
hardly  hope  to  escape  inextricable  injury.  The 
amount,  therefore,  whatever  it  may  be,  that  amin- " 
ister— pastor,  or  evangelist— receives,  is  required 


OF  DEACONS.  103 

to  be  previously  fixed  and  agreed  upon  by  the 
parties  interested. 

Having  now  seen  the  law  of  ministerial  sup- 
port, and  the  teacliing  and  practice  of  the  apostles, 
let  us  consider  for  a  moment  the  abstract  reason 
and  justice  of  the  case. 

If  a  man  discharge  the  duties  of  any  office  to 
which  he  is  legitimately  called,  it  is  reasonable 
and  just  that,  from  the  community  he  serves,  he 
should  receive  for  his  time,  labor,  and  expense,  a 
suitable  compensation.  But  is  not  the  principle 
as  applicable  to  the  ministry  as  to  any  other 
office  ?  Is  it  not  as  unjust  to  M'ithhold  the  rights 
of  ministers  as  of  any  other  class  of  men  ? 

Besides  this,  when  the  pastoral  or  ministerial 
relation  is  formed,  the  church,  by  the  stipulations 
of  the  parties,  engages  to  pay  to  him  certain 
sums,  at  specified  times,  for  official  services.  If 
the  ser\ices  are  rendered,  the  amount  promised  is, 
in  the  fullest  sense,  a  debt,  which  the  church  is 
as  much  under  obligation  to  pay  as  any  other  debt 
whatever.  If,  without  necessity,  it  is  withheld, 
or  all  suitable  effiDrts  are  not  made  by  herself,  and 
by  her  officers  appointed  to  conduct  her  pecuniary 
affairs,  she  brings  upon  herself  dishonor,  and  the 
sin  of  fraudulently  refusing  to  comply  with  an 


104  THE    DUTIES 

honest  contract,  after  the  considerations  have  been 
rendered.  This  act  appears  the  more  crimmal, 
because  these  are  sacred  debts,  contracted  to  faciU- 
tate  the  progress  of  the  gospel,  whose  teachings 
the  church  violates  by  the  non-payment ;  and  be- 
cause they  are  debts  of  honor,  there  being  no 
means  by  which  the  defrauded  minister  can  en- 
force the  collection. 

But  why  should  the  minister  place  himself  in 
such  a  condition  as  to  become  thus  dependent 
upon  the  church  ?  The  necessit}^  I  answer, 
arises  from  two  causes — the  constitution  of  the 
human  mind,  and  the  commands  of  God. 

The  preaching  of  the  gospel  requires  the  undi- 
vided energies  of  the  strongest  and  most  cultivated 
powers.  Can  its  purposes  be  gained,  therefore, 
by  a  shght  and  casual  attention  ?  Such  is  the  cha- 
racter of  the  mind  that  all  its  strength  must  be 
directed  to  one  object,  or  it  can  never  be  prose- 
cuted with  full  success.  The  lawyer,  the  physi- 
cian, the  mechanic,  the  politician,  know  this,  and 
direct  their  course  accordingly.  Shall  not  the  min- 
ister be  equally  wise  ?  Does  his  sacred  calling 
deserve  less  attention  than  mere  worldly  pursuits  ? 
But  the  commandment  of  God  requires  his  ex- 
clusive devotion  to  the  ministry.     "  Give  thyself 


OF    DEACONS.  105 

wholly  to  these  things,  that  thy  profiting  may  ap- 
pear to  all."     This  demand,  although  paramount, 
is  not  without  its  reasons.     So  numerous  are  the 
duties  of  the  mmistry,  especially  of  the  pastorship, 
out  of  the  pulpit  as  well  as  in  it,  tliat  if  they  dis- 
charge them  all,  with  but  tolerable  attention,  they 
will  leave  no  time  to  devote  to  any  otlicr  pursuits. 
But — some  one  inquires — could  not  our  minis- 
ter do  something  else,  besides  preachmg  ?     If  he 
would,  he  might  materially  aid  in  sustaining  him- 
self, and  lighten  essentially  our  burdens  in  provid- 
ing for  his  support !     Thus,  but  too  frequently, 
talk   the  members  of  our  churches.     I  answer, 
yes, — the  minister  certainly  could  embark  in  tem- 
poral   business,  and,  probably,  prosecute  it  suc- 
cessfully.    The  loss,  except  of  conscience,  and 
ministerial  prosperity,  would  not  be  his.    In  every 
worldly  sense  he  would  reap  immense  advantage. 
The  churches,  and  the  cause,  would  be  the  suf- 
ferers.    But  let  us  make  a  similar  and  equally 
rational   inquiry.      Could  not  our  schoolmasters 
do  something  else  besides  teaching,  to  aid  in  sup- 
porting themselves  ?     They  could  then  teach  pur 
children  for  a  much  less  sum,  and  thus  gready 
diminish  our  burdens  m  educatmg  them.     Could 
not  our  lawyers  and  physicians  do  something  else 


106  THE    DUTIES 

to  support  themselves  ?  Then  they  could  attend 
to  our  business  and  our  health  for  almost  nothing  ! 
This  would  be  extremely  convenient,  especially  to 
those  of  us  who  love  our  money  more  than  we  de 
honor,  religion,  or  justice.  But  with  regard  to 
other  men,  we  never  think  of  such  questions.  Why 
then  do  we,  with  regard  to  ministers  ? 

Reason  and  justice,  therefore,  concur  with  the 
word  of  God,  and  teach  us  that  the  minister  is  to 
be  competently  supported.  But  this  is,  almost 
always,  a  most  difficult  work.  How  can  it  be 
accomplished  ?  It  never  can,  with  regularity  and 
success,  unless  the  plans  adopted  be  wisely  formed 
and  vigorously  prosecuted.  The  obligation  rests 
upon  the  whole  church.  But  that  which  is  left 
to  a  whole  community,  and  not  intrusted  to  any 
special  or  official  superintendence,  will  certainly 
never  be  done.  "  What  is  every  body's  busmess 
is  nobody's  business."  This  is  as  true  of  the 
church  as  it  is  of  the  world.  Jehovah  has  made 
adequate  provision.  The  deacons  are  appointed 
over  all  the  temporal  affiiirs  of  the  church,  and, 
of  course,  this  also  must  be  under  their  special 
charge. 

The  pastor,  when  he  enters  upon  his  trust, 
looks  to  the  church  to  say  what  support  she  will 


I 


OF    DEACONS.  107 

offer.  When  she  has  spoken,  and  he  has  accepted 
her  proposition,  he  has,  while  he  performs  the 
duties  of  his  station,  no  more  to  say  to  the  mem- 
bers generally  on  that  subject  except  to  teach  them 
their  duty.  To  him  the  deacons,  and  they  only, 
are  responsible.  They  are  the  permanent  finan- 
cial officers.  They  stand  between  the  church  and 
the  ministry,  are  fully  informed  as  to  their  relative 
condition,  and  should  be  ever  ready  to  do  their 
duty  to  both. 

I  am  here  reminded,  perhaps,  that  the  churches 
sometimes  enter  upon  their  records  promises  to 
pay  to  their  pastors  certain  amounts,  at  certain 
limes,  but  do  not  place  the  stipulated  sums  in  the 
hands  of  the  deacons,  and,  therefore,  compliance 
is  impossible.  But  is  not  this  exceedingly  wrong 
—highly  crimmal?  Should  grave,  thoughtful, 
christian  men  so  act?  Should  they  sufTer  them- 
selves in  a  moment  of  excitement,  when  highly 
pleased  with  the  efforts  of  ministers,  to  induce 
them  to  accept  pastorships  and  undergo  labors,  by 
promises  which  they  afterwards  fail  to  fulfil? 
Hasty  and  inconsiderate  pastorships,  formed  under 
the  influence  of  mutual  excitement,  and  accom- 
panied by  large  promises  and  high  expectations, 


108  THE    DUTIES 

like  inarriages  contracted  in  similar  circumstances, 
are  seldom  productive  of  lasting  happiness. 

When  Congress,  or  a  state  legislature,  propose 
to  make  an  appropriation,  specific  or  annual,  for 
any  purpose,  however  desirable,  they  always  in- 
quire into  the  condition  of  the  treasury,  or  the 
sources  of  revenue,  generally  both,  and  are  sedu- 
lous not  to  conti'act  obligations  which  they  either 
cannot,  or  will  not,  promptly  discharge.  Their 
financial  officers  are  called  upon  to  apprise  them 
how  far  they  may  venture,  and  are  ready  to  utter 
their  warning  if  they  find  them  going  beyond  their 
abilities.  Shall  the  church  be  less  careful  ?  Is 
not  her  honor  as  dear,  are  not  her  debts  as  sacred, 
as  those  of  the  state  ?  The  deacons  should  never 
permit  the  church  to  promise  her  pastor  a  larger 
sum  than  they  are  confident  she  will  be  able  and 
willing  to  pay  ;  nor  that  payments  will  be  made 
at  certain  times,  unless  there  exists  a  fair  prospect 
of  compliance.  If  they  find  that  the  church  has 
already  acted  thus  imprudently,  they  should  in- 
stantly apprise  him  of  the  fact.  And  further — 
If,  at  any  time,  they  perceive  that  the  abilities  of 
the  church  are  unequal  to  the  continuance  of  what 
she  has  formerly  done,  they  should  not  leave  the 


OF    DEACONS.  109 

pastor  to  make  the  discovery,  for  the  first  time, 
by  their  nearly  total  failure  to  meet  their  obliga- 
tions ;  and  that  too,  perhaps,  after,  upon  the  faith 
of  their  pledges,  he'  has  involved  himself  in  lia- 
bilities from  which  he  finds  it  now  impossible  to 
be  delivered. 

To  guard  all  these  points  efliectually,  it  will 
readily  be  seen,  that  every  engagement,  involving 
temporal  considerations,  between  the  churches  and 
their  pastors,  should  be  made,  invariably,  through 
the  agency  of  the  deacons.  And  in  all  our  trans- 
actions, in  relation  to  this  \vhole  department,  our 
intercourse  should  be  always  governed  by  the 
utmost  sincerity  and  frankness. 


10 


110  THE    REVENUES    OF 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  MEANS  OF  CREATING  AND  SUSTAINING  THE 
NECESSARY  REVENUES  IN  THE  CHURCH. 

Revenues  are  indispensable. — The  law  of  God  on  this  sub- 
ject.— Its  excellent  characteristics. — The  superintend- 
ence necessary  in  its  execution. — It  is  sufficient  for  all 
purposes. — Recapitulation. — Importance  of  stated  and 
regular  meetings  of  the  Deacons. 

No  organized  community,  political  or  religious, 
can  long  exist  without  a  regular  revenue  to  sup- 
port its  necessary  expenses.  This  is  a  self-evi- 
dent proposition ;  and  if  it  were  not,  we  have  but 
too  many  melancholy  proofs  of  its  truth.  Not  a 
few  churches  in  different  parts  of  our  country, 
have  attempted  to  conduct  their  affairs  without 
cost.  The  result  has  invariably  been,  where  the 
experiment  has  been  continued  through  many 
years,  that  they  have  gone  down,  and  many  of 
them  become  for  ever  extinct.  It  is  folly  to  sup- 
pose that  it  can  ever  be  otherwise.     God,  in  his 


THE    CHURCH.  Ill 

providence,  has  ordered  that  without  appropriate 
exertions  nothing  valuable  shall  be  produced.  Can 
a  city  or  a  state  keep  up  its  organization  without 
revenues,  and  these  too  regularly  accruing  ?  No 
more  can  a  church  of  Christ.  But  more  than 
this — Jehovah  has  ordered  the  appointment,  in 
his  kingdom,  of  financial  officers.  This  would 
be  a  strange  procedure  if  he  intended  that  the 
church  should  have  no  treasury.  He  has  also 
given  us  laws  by  which  to  create  the  necessary 
income,  and  to  bring  it  into  their  hands.  These 
facts  suggest  and  involve  all  that  is  necessary  for 
us  to  do  in  the  premises. 

When  the  first  deacons  were  appointed,  "  the 
disciples,"  as  we  have  seen,  "had  all  things  com- 
mon." "  The  seven^^  were,  therefore,  actually 
in  possession  of  all  that  belonged  to  the  whole 
community.  No  man  had  any  property  or  funds 
of  his  own.  All  had  been  voluntarily  relinquished. 
But  then  their  duties  were  so  much  the  more  nu- 
merous, and  their  labors  exceedingly  great.  This 
condition  of  things  soon  passed  away.  The  gos- 
pel now  requires  us  to  retain  our  possessions,  and 
authorizes  its  institutions  to  be  sustained  only  by 
such  offerings  as  may  be  freely  given.  The  ques- 
tion presents  itself  to  us,  as  to  the  measures  by 


112  REVENUES    OF 

which  this  matter  can  be  so  regulated,  as  that 
what  is  given  may  assume,  in  amount,  that  defi- 
niteness  and  certainty  which  the  object  demands. 

In  order  to  this,  the  deacons,  in  the  beginning 
of  each  year,  should  prepare  and  place  before  the 
church  an  estimate  of  her  expenses  for  that  period. 
They  can  always  do  so  in  a  manner  sufficiently 
correct  for  all  practical  purposes.  Such  is  the 
initiatory  measure,  and  two  principal  reasons 
render  it  imperative.  In  the  first  place,  it  is  ne- 
cessary for  us  to  know  to  what  extent  w^  must 
exert  ourselves,  or  we  have  not  the  means  of  de- 
ciding how  we  shall  act.  Let  us  be  informed  as 
to  what  is  to  be  done,  and  Ave  are  then  prepared 
to  do  it.  Secondly ;  when  the  whole  matter  is 
explained,  fully  understood,  and  has  received,  the 
assent  of  all,  we  shall  proceed  with  cheerfulness 
and  alacrity.  Otherwise  more  or  less  darkness 
and  embarrassment  must  always  rest  upon  the 
church  in  her  efforts  to  secure  the  required  funds. 
Let  the  annual  estimate  by  the  deacons,  therefore, 
never  be  neglected. 

As  we  have  seen,  in  tliis,  and  the  two  preceding 
chapters,  that  God  designs  that  the  necessary 
revenues  sliall  be  created,  the  church  is,  of  course, 
obliged  to  go  forward  in  the  performance  of  this 


THE  CHURCH.  113 

duty.  The  obligation  rests  alike  upon  all,  and 
each  is  expected  to  make  a  free-will  offering  ac- 
cording to  his  or  her  ability,  for  the  maintenance 
of  tlie  cause.  Some  churches  have  investments 
of  various  kinds,  the  profits  of  which  are  so  ap- 
plied. Others  make  their  seats  sources  of  reve- 
nue. Others,  still,  have  a  preference  to  subscrip- 
tions and  donations.  And  yet  others  choose  to 
mingle  these  plans.  "  Let  every  man  be  fully 
persuaded  in  his  own  mind."  I  can  perceive 
nothing  improper  in  them,  provided  they  are  so 
conducted  as  to  harmonize  with  the  di\ine  law, 
are  approved  by  the  particular  church  concerned, 
and  are  adequate  to  the  purposes  in  view.  In  this 
whole  matter  the  utmost  openness  and  candor 
should  always  be  maintained.  No  bickerino-s,  if 
they  can  possibly  be  prevented,  should  ever  arise, 
on  any  subject,  especially  relating  to  mere  pecu- 
niary afTairs. 

I  wish,  however,  to  call  attention  to  a  special 
Divine  statute,  enacted  for  general  purposes,  and 
which  may  apply,  therefore,  to  the  support  of  a 
particular  church,  as  well  as  to  distant  objects  of 
benevolence,  about  which,  in  various  quarters, 
much  has  of  late  been  said,  particularly  in  con- 
10* 


114  REVENUES    OF 

nection  with  the  work  of  missions.    It  is  in  these 
words  : — 

"  Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  [the  Lord's 
day]  let  every  one  of  you  lay  by  him  in  store 
as  God  hath  prospered  him,"*  for  the  purposes 
of  religion.  This  is  the  lav/  of  the  Divine  Ruler, 
delivered  by  an  apostle,  and  it  is  obligatory  upon 
us  all.  Does  any  one  exclaim, — What,  money 
on  the  Lord's  day  I  Must  we,  on  that  day,  be 
counting  our  treasures,  and  determining  our  pro- 
Jits  !  Why,  money  and  religion  must  not  be 
thought  of  together !  It  is  possible^  and  the  fact 
should  be  remembered  that  this  feeling,  supposed 
to  be  so  holy,  may  be  far  otherwise.  Indeed,  it 
may  be,  and  often  is,  prompted  by  a  worldly  and 
avaricious  disposition.  It  is  no  evidence  of  our 
humility  and  piety,  that  we  become  wiser  than 
Christ,  and  refuse  to  obey  him,  lest  we  should 
thereby  contract  sin.  We  are  commanded  to  serve 
God  with  our  substance,  and  the  first  fruits  of 
all  our  increase.  AVe  should  also  remember  that 
— "  It  is  lawful  for  us  to  do  good  on  the  Sabbath 
day."  Besides,  obedience  to  tliis  injunction  so 
comiects  our  business  pursuits  and  profits  with 
*  1  Cor.  vi.  2. 


THE    CHURCH.  115 

the  service  of  God,  as  essentially  to  crush  the 
inherent  worldliness  of  nature,  and  lead  us  to  that 
habitual  spirituality  of  mind  so  necessary,  in  busi- 
ness and  in  pleasure,  to  be  constantly  cultivated. 
"  Whatsoever  ye  do — do  all  to  the  glory  of  God." 

The  excellency  of  the  laws  that  govern  this  de- 
partment is  manifest,  in  the  first  place,  in  the  fact 
tliat  they  compel  a  weeldy  settlement  wil]i  God. 
HoAv  easy  is  this,  if  done  in  time  !  But  it  is  not 
so  afterwards.  If  our  accounts  with  him  are  per- 
mitted to  run  through  any  very  long  period,  they 
either  pass  from  our  mmds,  and  are  never  adjust- 
ed ;  or  they  mount  up  to  so  large  a  sum,  that  we 
think  ourselves  unprepared  to  meet  it,  and  are 
tempted  to  withhold  it,  and  to  refuse  his  rights. 
We  are  never  safe  in  disobedience  to  the  obligation 
which  requires  the  duty  prescribed  to  be  per- 
formed on  the  first  day  of  every  week. 

In  the  second  place,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  con- 
tribution here  demanded  is  to  be  universal.  This 
is  another  excellency  of  the  divme  plan.  "  Let 
every  one  of  you  lay  by  him  in  store."  No  man 
is  so  poor  that  the  obligation  does  not  reach  him. 
None  are  excused  this  year  because  they  liberally 
contributed  the  last.  Debts,  cares,  resposibilities, 
contributions  for  other  objects,  are  not  sufficisnt 


116  REVENUES    OF 

apologies  for  not  sustaining  our  own  church.  All 
are  equally  interested,  and  "  every  one''''  must  take 
part  in  the  work.  In  the  act  of  joining  the  church 
we  pledge  ourselves  to  obey  Christ  in  this  as  well 
as  in  every  other  respect.  The  solemn  obligation 
can  never  be  cancelled,  until  death  shall  close  our 
earthly  labors. 

These  contributions,  I  observe,  in  the  third 
place,  can  always  be  readily  afforded,  because  they 
are  never  disproportioned  to  our  circumstances — 
they  are  to  be  rendered  each  week  "  as  God  hath 
prospered  iis.^^  "  It  is  required  of  a  man  accord- 
ing to  what  he  hath,  and  not  according  to  what  he 
hath  not."  What  we  do  is  to  be  graduated  by 
the  measure  of  our  prosperity.  He,  it  would 
seem,  thus  calls  upon  us  to  look  to  him  in  our 
temporal,  as  well  as  our  spiritual  interests,  with 
the  intimation  that,  by  giving  us  prosperity,  or 
sending  upon  us  adversity,  he  will  regulate  his 
own  treasury.  If  he  wants  much  he  will  indicate 
it  by  his  greater  temporal  blessings.  If  we  refuse 
his  service,  he  sends  upon  us  a  chastisement  for 
our  unfaithfulness,  calamity  and  distress,  either  in 
our  property,  or  in  ourselves,  or  in  both. 

In  the  last  place,  since  the  wants  of  Christ's 
kingdom  must  regularly  continue,  and  thus  impose 


THE  CHURCH.  117 

upon  his  people  perpetually  recurring  obligations, 
he  demands  our  contributions  regularly,  each 
week.  On  the  morning  of  every  Lord's  day,  we 
must  review  our  temporal  affairs  for  the  week ; 
ascertain  the  extent  of  the  divine  favor  which  we 
have  enjoyed  ;  and  malvc  such  a  pecuniary  expres- 
sion of  our  sense  of  gratitude  as  an  enlightened 
conscience  may  dictate;  laying  by  us  in  store 
for  the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  that  our  own  and  the 
contributions  of  others,  may  make  up  a  sufficient 
revenue. 

In  many  places,  and  especially  with  reference 
to  her  own  necessary  individual  expenditures,  the 
church  returns  to  her  contributors  a  consideration, 
in  seats  and  other  immunities  in  the  house  of 
worship,  as  the  avails  of  investments  of  various 
kinds  for  sacred  purposes.  This,  however,  is  a 
matter  of  mere  personal  and  individual  arrange- 
ment, vv^hich  she  may  comply  with,  or  disregard, 
at  her  discretion. 

These  are  some  of  the  excellencies  of  the  di\Tne 
method.  In  its  execution,  regard  is  had  to  all,  of 
every  character,  M'ho  compose  the  great  mass  of 
believers.  Too  frequently  churches  are  supported 
wholly  by  a  few  persons,  and  tlie  multitude  do 
almost  nothing.     Such  a  condition  of  tilings,  as  it 


118  REVENUES    OF 

is  always  exceedingly  pernicious,  should  be  most 
sedulously  avoided.  .  Either  the  few  contribute 
more  than  they  ought,  or  the  amount  raised  is  in- 
sufficient; and,  in  both  cases,  all  are  sufferers. 
Those  who  fail,  or  refuse  to  act,  are  injured,  the 
church  deliberately  permits  them  to  sin ;  they  ne- 
cessarily feel  little  interest  in  a  cause,  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  which  they  make  no  exertions; 
their  consciousness  becomes  blunted;  and  they 
soon  are  found  to  occupy  a  very  low  position  in 
the  scale  of  religion.  This,  doubtless,  is  one  rea- 
son why  there  are,  in  our  country,  so  many 
churches,  and  Christians,  who  "  have  a  name  that 
they  live,  and  are  dead." 

The  execution  of  the  law  of  Christ,  it  will  be 
seen,  on  consideration,  is  entirely  practicable. 
There  is  but  one  person  upon  whom  it  depends, 
and  that  is  the  man  himself  who  is  the  contributor. 
He  acts  under  the  all-seeing  eye,  and  graduates 
his  proceedings  by  his  own  sense  of  obligation  to 
the  author  of  all  his  blessings.  Inability  never 
can  be  pleaded,  because  it  is  impossible  that  it 
should  exist,  since  we  contribute  only  "  as  God 
has  prospered  us,^^  and  at  a  time  when  the  avails 
are  yet  in  our  own  hands.  Who  cannot  do  thus 
much  ?     The  whole  plan  proceeds  upon  a  sort  of 


I 


THE    CHURCH.  119 

ad  valorem  principle,  the  stock  of  which  is  the 
blessing  of  our  heavenly  Father.  The  arrange- 
ment is  fully  practicable. 

As  I  have  already  observed,  in  tlie  practice  of 
this  principle,  every  man  consults  his  own  tem- 
poral as  well  as  spiritual  advancement.  It  gives 
regularity  and  promptness  to  his  habits  of  action. 
If  he  possess  these  in  spiritual  things,  they  will 
inevitably  communicate  themselves  to  his  tempo- 
ral engagements,  and  always  greatly  to  their  ad- 
vantage. It  will  compel  him  weekly  to  calculate 
his  profits  and  losses  in  business.  Otherwise  he 
cannot  determine  what  duty  requires  him  to  con- 
secrate as  an  offering  to  God.  Thus  he  will,  ne- 
cessarily, be  kept  fully  informed,  and  may  avoid 
falling  into  numerous  snares  and  dangers,  by  which 
we  are  perpetually  surrounded.  Above  all,  it  will 
accustom  him  to  conduct  his  affairs  with  constant 
reference  to  his  duty  to  God,  and  thus  defend  him 
against  an  inordinate  attachment  to  the  things  of 
this  life. 

Such  is  the  law  of  God,  its  excellencies  and 
its  characteristics,  for  creating  and  sustaining  the 
requisite  revenues  in  his  church.  As  to  the 
amount  and  all  other  circumstances,  except  that  it 
is  to  be  larger  or  smaller,  as  God's  blessing  shall 


120  REVENUES   OF 

indicate,  it  is  left  to  the  voluntary  decision  of  the 
individual  concerned.  But  he  who  is  able  and 
will  do  nothing,  manifests  an  indifference,  and  a 
spirit  of  disobedience  to  Christ,  inconsistent  w^ith 
religion.  What  a  man  contributes  for  the  cause 
of  Christ,  is  proof  of  what  he  feels.  He  feels  no 
more  than  he  does  ;  and  he  that  does  nothing  feels 
nothing,  and  should  be  permitted  to  profess  no- 
thing. Thus  in  the  support  of  the  gospel,  our 
love  to  God  is  thoroughly  tested  on  the  principle 
that  a  "  tree  is  known  by  its  fruit." 

As,  however,  the  best  system  for  revenue,  or 
for  any  other  purpose,  in  civil  government,  must, 
without  the  superintendence  of  appropriate  offi- 
cers, entirely  fail  of  its  end,  so  it  is  in  the  church 
of  Christ.  No  plan  will  execute  itself.  Chris- 
tians should  be  taught  the  laws  of  Christ  on  this 
subject ;  for  I  must  believe  they  are  willing  to 
comply  with  them  when  understood.  Why,  then, 
are  these  laws  so  seldom  obeyed  ?  I  answer,  the 
ministry  have  not  given  the  people  the  insti'uction, 
definitely  and  fully,  they  needed  on  this  subject ; 
and  the  evil  has  been  aggravated  by  the  fact,  that 
no  one  has  superintended  their  execution.  Com- 
pliance, therefore,  has  been,  in  effect,  not  advocated 
and  enforced,  but  entirely  discouraged.      If  the 


THE  CHURCH. 


121 


deacons  are  the  financial  officers  of  the  church, 
and  supermtcnd  the  whole  department  committed 
to  them  ;  and  if  the  laws  will  not  execute  them- 
selves ;    they,   of  course,   are    their    executors, 
divinely  appointed  for  this  purpose.      They  are 
as  much  obliged  to  see  the  laws  carried  into  effect 
in  their  department,  as  the  pastor  is  in  his,  or  as 
the  church  is  in  hers.     When  a  member  habit- 
ually violates  gospel  morals,  it  is  the  duty  of  every 
one  associated  with  him  as  Christians,  to  bring  him 
to  the  proper  discipline  ;  it  is  the  duty  of  the  pas- 
tor to  provide  that  the  gospel  be  fully  preached, 
and  all   the  ordinances  of  religion  duly  adminis- 
tered ;  if  so,  it  is  no  less  the  duty  of  the  deacons 
to  see  that  every  member  contributes  to  the  sacred 
revenue,  according  to  his  ability,  and  to  bring  the 
amount  into  the  treasury.     It  may  not,  always,  be 
necessary  or  even  desirable,  for  all  to  bestow  mo- 
ney.    Some  may  have  other  things  fully  as  pro- 
fitable— food  and  raiment,  or  any  other  required 
articles.     Let  these  be  contributed.     To  many  of 
our  country  brethren,  such  an  aiTangement  may 
be  exceedingly  convenient.      But  an  entire  and 
persevering  refusal  to  comply  with  the  divine  in- 
junction on  this  subject,  should  never  be  permitted 
to  pass  without  the  proper  action  of  the  church. 
11 


122  REVENUES    OF 

Who,  that  considers  the  whole  subject  now 
before  you  maturely,  can  doubt,  that  carried  fully 
into  effect  the  arrangement  would  prove  entirely 
sufficient  for  all  the  purposes  designed.  God  in- 
tended it  to  be  sufficient,  and  if  it  fails  it  is  not  his 
fault,  but  because  we  are  unfaithful  to  our  trust. 

Let  us  here  recapitulate,  as  to  the  duties  of  dea- 
cons. We  have,  in  this  and  the  two  preceding 
chapters,  seen  that  these  all  arise  from  their  office 
as  depositaries  of  the  common  property  and  funds 
of  the  church,  of  which  they  have,  ex  officio,  the 
possession  and  superintendence,  and  consist  in 
these  FOUR  particulars — that  they  pay  the  ordi- 
nary and  incidental  expenses  of  divine  worship ; 
that  they  take  care  of  the  poor  and  distressed; 
that  they  see  that  the  pastor  is  comfortably  sup- 
ported ;  and  that  they  superintend  the  prosecution 
of  the  scriptural  plans  for  the  raising  of  such  reve- 
nues as  may  be  necessary  for  the  regular  and  per- 
manent service  of  our  holy  religion.  Such  is  the 
sum  of  all  the  divinely  enjoined  duties  of  the 
Deacons. 

I  close  the  discussion  of  this  part  of  our  sub- 
ject by  suggesting  that,  as  the  deacons,  in  their 
own  peculiar  department  are,  as  we  have  said,  a 
BOARD  OF  OFFICERS,  or  the  exccutive  hoard  of 


THE    CHURCH.  123 

tlie  church,  for  her  temporal  department,  it  is  ne- 
cessary that  they  hold  stated  and  frequent  meetings 
of  their  own  body  in  that  capacity,  prepare  to  pro- 
secute their  duties  in  concert,  and  with  the  best 
advice.  Who  can  doubt  that  the  first  deacons 
held  daily  meetings  ?  The  peculiar  nature  of  their 
relations  to  the  disciples  required  it.  In  our  cir- 
cumstances their  sessions  should  not  be  less  fre- 
quent, especially  in  the  towns,  than  once  in  a 
month.  They  appear  to  me  to  be  imperative,  on 
many  accounts.  Unity,  and  co-operation  in  action, 
are  of  the  utmost  importance.  But  without  stated 
and  frequent  meetings  they  can  never  be  gained  or 
preserved.  They  will  compel  thought ;  lead  to 
a  better  knowledge  of  their  duties ;  to  a  higher 
appreciation  of  their  importance  ;  and  to  more 
promptness  and  fidelity  in  their  execution. 


124  DEACONESSES. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


DEACONESSES. 


Female  assistants  to  the  Deacons  existed  in  the  primitive 
churches. — References  to  them  by  Ecclesiastical  Histo- 
rians.— By  early  Christian  writers. — By  the  Scriptures. — 
Are  they  necessary. — Their  qualifications. — Their  du- 
ties.— They  are  virtually  employed  in  our  own  churches. 
—Practical  conclusions. 

Female  assistants  to  the  deacons,  usually  called 
Deaconesses,  existed  in  the  primitive  churches. 
They  were  ladies  of  approved  character  and  piety ; 
and  their  duty  required  them  to  minister  to  females, 
under  circumstances  in  which  it  would  have  been 
manifestly  improper  that  the  other  sex  should  have 
been  employed.  Their  services  were  regarded  as 
of  very  great  importance,  if  not  entirely  indis- 
pensable. Ecclesiastical  historians,  the  early 
fathers,  and  other  writers,  refer  to  them  frequently 
and  familiarly. 

Mosheim,  for  example,  in  his  History  of  the 
First  Century,   introduces    them  thus  : — "  The 


DEACONESSES.  125 

eastern  churches  elected  deaconesses,  and  chose 
for  that  purpose,  matrons,  or  widows,  of  eminent 
sanctity,  who  also  ministered  to  the  necessities  of 
tlie  poor,  and  performed  several  other  offices,  that 
tended  to  order  and  decency  in  the  church."*  All 
the  other  writers  of  his  class,  of  distinction,  have 
stated  the  same  tiling  in  similar  terms. 

Clemens  of  Alexandria,t  who  wrote  in  the 
second  century,  treats  extensively  of  deaconesses,* 
advocates  their  legitimacy,  and  appeals  as  autho- 
rity, to  Paul's  first  epistle  to  Timothy.  Jerome, 
who  flourished  in  the  fourth  century,  speaks  of 
them,+  as  generally  found  in  the  churches.  The 
book  of  "Apostolic  Constitutions,"  prescribes 
their  election,  and  publishes  forms  for  their  ordi- 
nation.§  We  may  indeed  appeal,  on  this  topic, 
even  to  the  enemies  of  the  Christians.  Phny, 
the  distinguished  Roman  Governor  of  Bythinia, 
in  his  well-known  letter  to  the  Emperor  Trajan,|l 
regarding  their  affairs,  describes  two  females  whom 
he  ordered  to  be  put  to  the  torture,  and  says  of 
them  : — "  quae  mmistrse  dicebantur,"  who  were 
called  ministresses,  or  female  deacons. 

*  Vol.  i.  pp.  90,  91.  t  Stromab.  Lib.  3,  p.  448. 

%  Comm.  in  1  Tim.  iii.  11.      §  Lib.  viii.  ch.  19,  20. 
II  Anno  Domini  106. 

11* 


12G  DEACONESSES. 

There  can  be,  therefore,  no  doubt  as  to  the  mat- 
ter of  fact.  It  is  conceded,  on  all  hands,  that  dea- 
conesses were  employed,  and  that  constant  resort 
was  had  to  their  ministry  in  the  first  churches  of 
Christ.  The  only  question  to  be  decided  is, 
whether  the  word  of  God  authorizes,  or  in  any 
manner  enjoins  their  appointment.  This  infallible 
authority  is  our  unerring  guide.  When  we  have 
ascertained  its  teachings,  we  comply  without  fur- 
ther inquiry.  Let  us,  then,  "  to  the  law  and  to  the 
testimony."     "  What  saith  the  Scriptures  ?" 

In  his  address  to  the  church  in  Rome,  Paul  thus 
appeals  to  his  brethren  of  that  city : — "  I  com- 
mend unto  you  Phoebe,  our  sister,  which  is  a 
[Ataxoi'Oj/,  a  Deaconess,  in  our  version  a]  servant 
of  the  church  in  Cenchrea ;  that  ye  receive  her  in 
the  Lord,  as  becometh  saints  ;  and  that  ye  assist 
her  in  whatsoever  business  she  hath  need  of  you ; 
for  she  hath  been  a  succorer  of  many,  and  of  me 
also."*  Phoebe  is,  therefore,  by  an  apostle,  called 
expressly  a  Deaconess  of  the  church ;  and  we  are 
assured  that  she  had  honorably  and  effectually  ex- 
ercised that  office,  in  the  succors  she  had  extended 
to  many,  and,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  to  the 
apostle  himself  among  the  number.  Two  facts  are 
*  Rom.  xvi.  1. 


DEACONESSES.  127 

implied  in  this  passage,  both  of  which  are  worthy 
of  our  attention.  The  first  is,  tliat  the  apostle 
speaks  of  this  excellent  lady  m  her  official  cha- 
racter, in  terms  of  high  approbation,  and  com- 
mends her,  not  only  as  a  sister,  but  as  a  Deacon- 
ess, to  his  brethren  in  Rome.  This  he  never 
could  have  done,  if  he  had  not  regarded  the  office 
as  legitimate.  And  the  second  is,  the  strong  pro- 
babiUty,  that,  as  the  church  at  Cenchrea  had  dea- 
conesses, they  were  also  found  in  all  the  other 
churches.  Uniformity,  no  doubt,  prevailed  in 
their  organization.  This  passage,  therefore,  must 
be  regarded  as  conclusive  of  the  Scripture  warrant 
for  deaconesses. 

But  this  is  not  all.  Three  other  passages  are 
supposed  to  allude  to  the  deaconesses.  To  these 
I  will  refer,  however,  only  as  collateral  testimony 
in  the  premises. 

Speaking  of  a  class  of  persons  called  "X>;^aj," 
(Cheras,)  the  apostle  says : — "  Let  not  a  ividow 
be  taken  into  the  nwmfeer  under  three  score  years 
old ;  having  been  the  wife  of  one  man ;  well  re- 
ported of  for  good  works  ;  if  she  have  brought  up 
children  ;  if  she  have  lodged  strangers  ;  if  she  have 
washed  the  saints'  feet ;  [mmistered  the  usual  rites 
of  hospitality  ;]  if  she  have  relieved  the  afflicted ; 


128  DEACONESSES. 

if  she  have  dihgently  followed  every  good  work."* 
The  nature,  or  the  privileges  of  this  class,  into 
which  only  widows,  of  the  character  described, 
were  to  *'be  taken,"  I  shall  not  now  attempt  to 
determine.  It  is  very  certain,  however,  that  they 
were  not,  as  has  been  so  generally  supposed,  to  be 
"  taken  into  the  number"  of  those  who  were  sup- 
ported by  the  church.  "  It  can  hardly  be  ima- 
gined that  a  widow,  unless  she  had  considerable 
property,  could  have  done  the  things  enumerated, 
some  of  vv^hich  would  occasion  no  small  expense. "t 
She  could  not,  therefore,  have  been  very  poor. 
Would  it  not,  also,  have  been  a  strange  prohibi- 
tion, if  the  benevolence  of  the  church  had  been  de- 
nied to  a  woman,  however  helpless  and  afflicted, 
unless  she  was  sixty  years  old?  How  singular, 
too,  the  condition  that  she  must  have  had  children, 
to  entitle  her  to  this  bounty  !  If  a  woman  have 
children,  she  is  thought  on  that  account  to  be  left 
dependent.  Indeed,  in  a  previous  injunction,  in 
immediate  connection  with  this  passage,  the  apos- 
tle says : — "  If  any  widow  have  children,  or 
nephews,  let  them  learn  first  to  show  piety  at 
home,  and  to  requite  their  parents,  for  that  is  good 
and  acceptable  before  God. "J  In  other  words, 
♦  1  Tim.  V.  9,  10.     t  Clark's  Com.  in  loc.     X  1  Tim.  v.  4, 


DEACONESSES.  129 

such  widows  are  to  be  supported  by  their  chil- 
dren, or  nephews,  and  not  by  the  church.  Who, 
then,  were  these  "Xj;^aj?"  [Cheras.)  The  quali- 
fications required  of  them  singularly  resemble 
tliose  of  a  deacon.  Their  age,  however,  was  too 
great  to  suppose  that  they  were  capable  of  much 
active  service.  Many  of  our  best  biblical  exposi- 
tors presume  that  they  were  those  who  had  been 
deaconesses,  and  now,  in  the  evening  of  theh  days, 
enjoyed  some  kind  of  pecuUar  immunities. 

A  second  passage  speaks  of  them,  as  is  believed, 
under  the  general  name  of  "  Women."  Address- 
ing some  unnamed  brother  and  friend  at  Philippi, 
Paul  says  : — "  I  entreat  thee  also,  true  yoke  fellow, 
[colleague]  help  those  ivomen  who  labored  with 
me  in  the  gospel."-^  How  did  they  labor  with 
hun  iji  the  gospel  ?  It  cannot  be  tliat  they  preached, 
since  the  same  aposde  says,  in  another  place — "  I 
suffer  not  a  woman  to  teach  nor  to  usurp  autho- 
rity" in  the  church.  Yet  they  labored  with  Paul, 
and  were  so  distinct  from  all  others,  that  they  were 
known  by  the  simple  description — '''those  wo- 
men." Why  should  we  withhold  our  assent  from 
the  almost  unanimous  opinion  of  commentators, 
that  they  were  the  deaconesses  of  the  church  ? 
*  Phil.  iv.  3. 


130  DEACONESSES. 

To  the  last-  passage  I  had  occasion  before  to 
refer,  when  treating  of  the  quahfications  of  dea- 
cons, and  then  promised  that  I  would,  in  a  future 
chapter,  consider  it  more  at  large.  In  our  com- 
mon version  it  has  the  following  reading : — "  Even 
so  must  their  [the  deacons']  wives  be  grave,  not 
slanderous,  sober,  faithful  in  all  things."*  We 
have  already  seen,  I  trust,  satisfactorily,  that  no 
reference  is  here  had  to  the  wives  of  deacons. 
But  does  not  the  apostle  say — "  Even  so  must 
their  wives  be  grave  ?"  In  our  translation  he 
does  ;  but  when  you  turn  to  the  original,  you  find 
no  such  thing !  The  reading  is  : — Tv^aixaj  wtyavrcoj 
afftmj — hterally — "Let  the  women  also  be  grave." 
This  strikingly  resembles  the  last  passage  noticed 
— "  Help  those  wojnen.^^  The  wives  of  the 
deacons,  as  we  have  before  seen,  are  spoken  of  in 
the  next  verse,  and  not  in  this.  These  "  ivomen,''^ 
then,  were  some  other  ^^  tvomeny  and  not  the 
deacons'  wives.  What  women  were  they  ?  Cle- 
mens, Jerome,  and  other  ancient  writers,  say  they 
were  the  Deaconesses,  and  so  say  our  best  writers 
of  modern  times.  The  conclusion  is  most  natural. 
No  one  supposes  they  were  the  deacons'  wives. 
Paul,  in  other  places,  speaks  of  them.  He  was 
*  1  Tim.  iii.  11. 


DEACONESSES.  131 

here  describing  the  quaUfications  of  deacons,  and 
what  is  more  consonant  than  to  suppose,  that,  in 
passing-,  he  adds  a  few  words  regarding  tlie  quali- 
fications of  deaconesses.  As  the  Deacons,  so  the 
Deaconesses  must  be  grave,  not  slanderers,  sober, 
faithful  in  all  things.  Such,  I  confess,  appears  to 
me  to  be  the  true  sense  of  the  apostle. 

Take  all  these  passages  together,  and  I  think  it 
will  be  difficult  for  us  to  resist  the  conclusion  that 
tlie  word  of  God  authorizes,  and  in  some  sense, 
certauily  by  implication,  enjoins  the  appointment 
of  deaconesses  in  the  churches  of  tUhrist. 

Were  they,  in  ancient  times,  and  are  they  now, 
"  requisite  and  necessary  ?"  This  is  our  next  in- 
quiry, and  we  address  ourselves,  without  formality, 
to  its  consideration. 

We  cannot  but  reply  in  the  affirmative,  if  we 
consider  what  has  been,  in  all  ages,  and  what  is 
now,  tlie  condition  of  females  in  the  east.  They 
are  generally,  as  is  well  known,  much  more  se- 
cluded than  they  are  with  us.  Access  can  pro- 
perly be  had  to  them,  and  they  can,  therefore,  in 
many  respects  be  benefited  only  by  persons  of 
their  own  sex.  These  should,  without  doubt,  be 
women  of  approved  character  and  ability,  and 
ought  to  go  forth  to  their  work  with  tlie  sanction 


132  DEACONESSES. 

of  the  church.  In  oriental  countries,  therefore, 
deaconesses  were,  and  are,  beyond  question,  in- 
dispensable. 

And  are  they  altogether  useless  among  us  ?  Do 
we  not  know  that  they  might  have  admission  to 
multitudes  of  their  own  sex  with  very  great  ad- 
vantage to  the  interests  of  religion,  under  circum^- 
stances  in  which,  otherwise,  they  must  remain 
unvisited  ?  Gentlemen  cannot  administer  to  their 
wants.  And  further,  when  ladies  are  to  be  bap- 
tized, tliey  may  be  left,  and  frequently  are,  in  the 
most  painful  manner,  unattended,  unless  there  are 
some  persons  specially  designated  for  that  duty  ; 
or  they  may  be  accompanied  by  those  of  very 
unsuitable  character.  Deaconesses,  therefore,  are, 
every  where,  as  necessary  as  they  were  in  the 
days  of  the  apostles. 

Let  us  next  consider  their  qualifications,  as  we 
find  them  set  forth  in  the  word  of  God. 

If  deaconesses  are  to  be  employed,  it  is  very 
evident  that  they  should  be  women  whose  reputa- 
tion for  piety,  and  whose  kind,  intelligent,  and 
courteous  deportment,  will  give  force  to  their  min- 
istrations, and  all  whose  conversation  and  inter- 
course will  beneficially  impress  those  for  whom 
they  labor.     We  are  accordingly  admonished  that 


DEACONESSES.  133 

they  must  "  be  grave,  not  slanderers,  [(Wj^  5ca,3o?.ovf, 
literally,  not  devils,]  sober,  faithful  in  all  things" — 
women  who  "  have  followed  every  good  work." 
Those  of  this  character,  and  not  the  vain,  the 
giddy,  and  the  thoughdess,  should  do  the  office  of 
deaconesses.  The  reasons  are  plain.  They  are 
to  visit  the  sick,  the  miserable,  and  the  helpless, 
and  ought  to  feel  for  them  an  abiding  sympathy, 
and  be  ready  and  able,  at  all  times,  to  hold  forth 
to  them  the  consolations  of  the  gospel  of  Christ. 
They  are,  as  we  have  said,  to  attend  their  neo- 
phyte sister  at  baptism,  and  to  be  the  companions 
of  her  toilet,  before  and  after  the  sacrament.  This 
solemn  and  striking  act  of  Christian  devotion  is 
to  be  perfonned  but  once  in  our  life  !  How  im- 
portant, then,  that,  during  its  administration,  we 
should  feel  the  full  spirit  of  the  gospel !  But  how 
easily,  on  such  occasions,  by  the  frivolous  conver- 
sation of  thoughtless  girls,  to  whom  this  duty  may 
be  left,  are  the  minds  of  the  recipients  diverted 
from  the  proper  thoughts,  and  is  all  the  holy 
sweetness  of  that  hour  destroyed  !  These,  and 
the  numerous  other  interesting  and  important  du- 
ties they  are  called  upon  to  fulfil,  make  it  neces- 
sary that  they  maintain  the  prescribed  character. 
12 


134  DEACONESSES. 

"  Let  the  women  also  be  grave,  sober,  faithful  in 
all  things." 

When  we  look  around  us  we  see,  indeed,  in 
effect,  deaconesses  in  nearly  all  our  well  regulated 
churches.  In  most  of  the  other  denominations, 
the  office  is  rendered  unnecessary,  partly  by  their 
having  abolished  baptism,  partly  by  their  aristo- 
cratic propensities,  on  account  of  which,  as  we 
have  seen  in  another  place,  they  themselves  con- 
fess that  they  have  almost  "  no  poor  among  them  ;" 
and  partly  by  their  having  instituted,  in  opposition 
to  the  gospel,  female  orders,  as  with  the  Roman 
Catholics,  who  have  their  troops  of  "  Sisters  of 
Charily,^''  and  other  sisters  rather  too  charitable; 
but  in  the  true  church,  in  which  are  maintained 
primitive  principles,  all  the  original  institutions  of 
religion  are  indispensable.  There  are  ladies,  self- 
appointed,  I  admit,  but  whose  intelligence  and 
piety  have  led  them  to  see  that  such  offices  ought 
to  be  performed,  and,  governed  by  a  just  sense  of 
propriety,  who  voluntarily  undertake  to  discharge 
them.  Thus  they  become  substantially  deacon- 
esses, and  in  some  degree  make  amends  for  the 
want  of  proper  ecclesiastical  action.  Our  churches 
thus  far,  consequently,  have  the  benefit  of  dea- 
conesses. 


DEACONESSES.  135 

We  have  now  seen,  with  as  much  brevity  as 
the  nature  of  the  case  would  admit,  that  female 
assistants  to  deacons,  or  deaconesses,  existed  in 
the  primitive  churches  ;  we  have  considered  the 
passages  in  the  word  of  God,  in  which  they  are 
named  and  described ;  we  have  proved  tlieir  ne- 
cessity at  the  present  day,  as  well  as  in  former 
times,  where  the  duties  and  ordinances  of  religion 
are  administered  in  their  original  and  lawful  forms  ; 
we  have  examined  their  qualifications,  and  shown 
that  they  are  still  found,  substantially,  in  all  our 
best  regulated  churches.  We  close  this  topic  by 
remarking,  that  from  all  that  appears  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, we  are  justified  in  the  conclusion  that  dea- 
conesses were  not,  as  deacons  are,  formally 
ordained,  "  the  book  of  Apostolic  Constitutions," 
as  it  is  improperly  called,  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing. Apostolic  example  authorizes  and  en- 
joins their  appointment.  But  in  their  selection, 
(I  judge  from  the  silence  of  inspiration)  no  further 
proceedings  were  had  than  the  action  of  the  church 
by  which  they  were  designated,  and  their  own 
promise  to  perform,  "  to  the  best  of  their  know- 
ledge and  ability,"  the  duties  enjoined.  All  that 
seems  yet  to  be  wanting  among  us,  is  the  selection 
and  approval  by  the  churches,  of  the  persons  to 


136  DEACONESSES. 


be  employed ;  and,  generally,  more  regular  and 
systematic  attention  to  this  department,  so  as  to 
secure  the  performance  of  its  duties  well,  promptly, 
and  faithfully. 


CO-OPERATION,  ETC.  137 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  DUTY  OF  THE  CHURCH  AND  THE  MINISTRY  TO 
CO-OPERATE  WITH  THE  DEACONS. 

Three  departments  in  the  Church. — Their  mutual  depend- 
ence.— Co-operation  of  the  Church  with  the  Deacons. — 
Of  the  ministry  with  the  Deacons. — Their  responsibili- 
ties.— The  consequences. — Motives  to  co-operation. 

Every  church  of  Christ,  regularly  organized 
according  to  the  Scriptures,  is  made  up  of  three 
departments.  The  first  is  constituted  of  the  body 
of  the  people,  who  compose  the  communicants ; 
the  second  of  the  deacons  ;  and  the  third  is  filled 
by  the  pastor.  These  all  form  one  church,  whose 
unity  is  essential  to  its  strength  and  success. 
Each  department  niusi  have  the  concurrence  and 
co-operation  of  the  others,  in  both  spiritual  and 
temporal  things.  The  church  is  the  depository 
of  the  Divine  word  and  ordinances  ;  and  has  in 
charge  the  purity  of  truth,  and  the  conversion  of 
the  world.  But  without  a  pastorship  and  other 
ministry,  she  could  achieve  nothing.  The  whole 
12* 


138  CO-OPERATION  WITH 

body  would  present  the  aspect  of  an  unwieldy 
mass,  without  a  voice  to  speak,  or  hands  to  exe- 
cute her  purposes.  Therefore, — "  God  hath  set 
some  in  the  church,  first  apostles,  secondarily 
prophets,  [and]  thirdly  teachers."*  These  are 
her  agents  for  the  diffusion  of  light — the  universal 
propagation  of  the  gospel.  They  must,  therefore, 
co-operate  with  her  faithfully  and  zealously  in  the 
great  work. 

The  ministry,  on  the  other  hand,  can  do  little 
without  the  church  to  sustain  them  and  to  second 
their  efforts.  The  co-operation  of  the  church 
removed,  and  they  would  have  no  human  arm  on 
which  to  lean ;  no  warm  hearts  to  sympathize  in 
their  toils,  perplexities,  and  objects  ;  no  compa- 
nions in  prayer,  to  mvigorate  their  faith  and  to 
cheer  them  on  to  duty.  Under  God  they  must 
look  to  the  church,  and  there  they  find  "  a  muni- 
tion of  rock" — a  source  of  resistless  energy. 
While  the  ministers  are  thus  upheld,  temporally 
and  spiritually,  and  are  able  to  point  the  world  to 
her  light,  as  concurrent  evidence  of  the  power  of 
the  ffospel,  "  no  weapon  that  is  formed  against  her 
shall  prosper," — victory  shall  crown  them  in  every 
field  of  their  conflicts. 

*  iSph.  iv.  11. 


THE   DEACONS.  139 

All  this,  however,  is  dependent,  in  no  small 
degree,  upon  the  powerful  auxiliary  aid  of  the 
Deaconship.  The  church  would  be  fully  as  effi- 
cient with  a  good  Deaconship,  and  without  a  min- 
istry, as  she  would  be  with  a  good  ministry  and 
without  a  Deaconship.  The  result,  in  either  case, 
would  be  feebleness  and  disaster.  Remove  the 
deacons,  or,  what  amounts  to  the  same  thing,  let 
them  be  incompetent  or  inefficient,  and  the  church 
is  lilie  an  army  without  officers,  unprovisioned  and 
undisciplined,  in  the  country  of  its  enemy.  No 
channel,  regularly  arranged,  for  supplies  or  direc- 
tion exists,  and  all  their  efforts  are  paralyzed. 
Every  divinely  appointed  department  is  necessary 
to  every  other.  A  competent  and  faithful  Dea- 
conship must  have  the  co-operation  of  the  church 
and  of  the  ministry,  in  order  to  the  advancement 
of  the  cause  of  Christ. 

If,  in  their  ordination,  the  deacons  enter  into 
vows  before  God,  to  do  by  his  help  the  work 
assigned  them.,  the  churches,  in  their  election  and 
presentation,  and  the  ministry,  in  their  ordination, 
solemnly  pledge  themselves  to  stand  by  them  in 
their  office. 

The  church  then,  in  the  first  place,  who  elects 
the  deacons,  and  presents  them  for  appointment, 


140  CO-OPERATION  WITH 

in  that  act  solemnly  pledges  to  them  her  co-ope- 
ration in  the  great  work  to  which  they  are  called. 
What  this  is  I  have  already  shown,  in  what  has 
been  said  on  the  duties  of  the  deacons.  Is  it  pos- 
sible that  she  can  ever,  voluntarily,  fail  to  redeem 
that  obligation  ?  Can  we  forget  or  violate  responsi- 
bilities so  sacred,  into  which  we  have  entered  with 
all  the  sanctions  of  religion  ?  Alas  !  I  fear  that  it 
is  but  too  common.  How  criminal  in  the  sight 
of  God  is  such  an  abandonment !  How  unjust ! 
How  destructive  to  the  church  !  If  every  bro- 
ther shall  be  ready  when  called  upon,  or  even 
without  being  called  upon,  to  do  whatever  his 
abihty  or  the  cause  of  Christ  may  demand,  the 
labors  of  the  deacons  will  be  sufficiently  ardu- 
ous, and  no  christian  will  have  gone  beyond  his 
own  voluntary  promise.  But  if  any  considerable 
number  neglect  or  refuse,  what  can  they  do  ?  They 
may  toil  on  for  a  season,  but  sooner  or  later  they 
must  sink !  The  cause  cannot  be  maintained 
unless  every  one  will  do  his  duty.  When  it  is 
decided  that  the  co-operation  of  the  church  cannot 
be  obtained,  what  is  the  remedy  ?  I  can  think  of 
none  but  to  abandon  her,  as  we  would  an  unma- 
nageable ship  at  sea.  Her  members  habitually 
disregard  the  authority  of  Christ,  and  violate  theii 


THE  DEACONS.  141 

own  solemn  vows.  They  have  no  right  to  be 
respected  as  a  church  of  the  Redeemer.  To  per- 
petuate such  a  body,  under  Uiat  sacred  title,  is  to 
preserve  and  cherish  a  reproach — a  leprosy  upon 
the  name  and  honor  of  religion.  It  does  not  fre- 
quently happen,  however,  that  all  the  church  neg- 
lect, or  refuse,  to  co-operate  with  the  deacons,  but 
that  individual  members  do  so,  and  sometimes  in 
numbers  so  large  as  almost  to  overwhelm  all  her 
energies.  In  such  cases j  what  is  the  remedy  ?  I 
answer  that  the  delinquents,  if  they  camiot  be  re- 
clauned,  should  be  required  to  answer  at  her  bar. 
Members  of  the  body  politic,  who  constandy  vio- 
late, or  perseveringly  neglect  to  observe,  the  laws 
of  their  countrv,  are  sure  to  be  called  to  account. 
If  diey  are  not,  the  government  is  pronounced 
utterly  depraved  and  worthless.  Shall  the  church 
be  less  just  than  civil  government  ?  No  society 
can  safely  tolerate  m  its  bosom  those  who  will  not 
conform  to  its  laws.  How  much  less  should  a 
church  continue  in  its  fellowship  persons  who 
habitually,  openly,  and  perseveringly  disregard  the 
laws  of  the  Redeemer  ?  Can  she  do  it  and  pre- 
serve her  purity,  or  gain  the  end  for  which  she 
was  organized  ? 

But  more  commonly,  no  refusal  to  co-operate 


142  CO-OPERATION  WITH 

with  the  deacons  takes  place.  Indeed,  all  pro- 
fessedly  desire  to  see  the  work  done,  and  the 
cause  prosper.  No  one,  however,  is  ready,  or 
prepared  to  do  any  thing  himself.  Slothfulness 
rests  upon  them  with  the  crushing  weight  of  a 
mountain.  They  will  act,  as  soon  as  they  can ; 
but  they  never  can ;  they  never  do !  Through 
this  process  the  same  result  is  reached.  They  do 
nothing,  not  for  want  of  ability,  but,  really,  be- 
cause they  will  do  nothmg  !  Their  reluctance  to 
duty,  like  that  of  a  sinner  to  religion,  can  never  be 
overcome.  Thus  they  sin  against  God,  and  de- 
stroy themselves. 

How  long  will  the  church  submit  to  such  degra- 
dation, and  soil  her  beautiful  garments  in  the 
dust !  Let  her  arise  to  a  sense  of  her  own  dignity 
and  glory.  Let  every  one  of  her  members  be 
well  and  thoroughly  instructed  as  to  what  is  re- 
quired at  his  hands,  and  what  the  deacons  have  a 
right  to  expect  and  demand.  Then,  if  the  love  of 
God  dwell  richly  in  their  hearts,  their  co-operation 
with  them  will  not  be  difficult.  They  will  re- 
joice that  they  are  permitted  to  be  associated,  ac- 
tively, with  those  who  "  are  workers  together 
with  Christ,"  in  the  salvation  of  men. 

But  the  ministry,  also,  in  the  second  place,  in 


THE    DEACONS.  143 

the  ordination  of  the  deacons,  are  solemnly  pledged 
to  co-operate  with  them,  in  all  the  legitimate  ser- 
vices of  their  sacred  calling. 

This  promise  is,  mainly,  redeemed  by  teaching 
those  who  are  under  their  charge  then-  whole 
duty,  upon  every  part  of  the  subject  in  hand. 
They  are  the  divinely  appointed  instructors,  both 
of  deacons  and  people.  All  must  have  light;  and 
if  the  pastors,  and  other  ministers,  do  not  give  it, 
faitlifully  and  fully,  they  stand  condemned,  before 
both  God  and  his  church.  If  ignorance  of  duty 
on  the  part  of  the  church,  however  well  inchned 
she  may  be,  necessarily  produces  a  failure  to  co- 
operate with  the  deacons,  because  she  knows  not 
how  to  act,  how  much  more  injurious  must  be 
the  absence  of  adequate  knowledge  on  the  part  of 
the  deacons  themselves  !  If  they  know  not  their 
duty,  how  can  they  be  expected  to  perform  it  ? 
Are  we  not  obliged  to  confess  that  great  want  of 
information  has  prevailed,  and,  in  many  places, 
yet  prevails,  among  them  ?  How  often  are  those 
found  who  imagine,  when  they  have  prepared  the 
sacred  emblems,  and  waited  upon  the  communi- 
cants, at  the  Lord's  supper,  that  most  of  their 
work  is  done  !  Besides  this,  they  presume,  if  any 
thing  happens  to  be  in  their  hands  for  that  purpose, 


144  CO-OPERATION    WITH 

that  they  ought  to  reheve  the  necessities  of  the  suf- 
fering, and  to  have,  too,  some  care  for  their  pastor. 
But  their  ideas  on  the  whole  subject  are,  more  or 
less,  confused  ;  and  how,  and  to  what  extent,  they 
are  to  act,  they  have  very  Httle  conception.  Who,  I 
now  ask,  is  principally  responsible  for  this  igno- 
rance, and  consequent  inefficiency  ?  The  minis- 
try, undoubtedly !  It  is  their  duty  to  teach  the 
whole  body.  They  have  not  done  so,  and  there- 
fore have  failed  to  co-operate,  as  they  are  pledged 
to  do,  in  this  great  work. 

Ministers  generally,  it  must  be  conceded,  mani- 
fest great  disinclination  to  give  to  their  people 
much  instruction  in  that  peculiar  department  which 
belongs  to  the  deacons. 

They  are  entitled,  I  suppose,  to  some  apology, 
because  the  subject  seems  to  involve  their  own 
personal  interest,  and,  since  they  are  liable  to  be 
charged  with  selfishness  as  their  motive,  and  the 
world,  and  covetous  professors  of  religion,  have  so 
readily  the  stereotyped  imputation — "  money  hunt- 
ers," they  are  afraid.  But  the  result  is,  that 
they  are  driven,  by  the  fear  of  their  enemies,  into 
unfaithfulness  to  God,  to  their  brethren,  and  to  the 
cause  of  Christ !  It  is,  I  confess  it,  possible  that, 
if  they  preach  the  whole  truth  on  this,  as  well  as 


THE   DEACONS.  145 

every  other  subject,  the  reputation  and  influence 
of  some  of  them,  in  various  quarters,  may,  for  a 
season,  be  injured.  But,  brethren,  the  work  must 
be  done,  come  what  v.iih  Let  us,  then,  approach 
it  in  the  spirit  of  Paul,  and  "count  not  even  our 
Hves  dear  unto  ourselves,  so  that  we  might  fmish 
our  course  with  joy,  and  the  ministry  wliich  we 
have  received  of  the  I^ord  Jesus,  to  testify  the 
gospel  of  the  grace  of  God." 

Fidelity,  on  the  part  both  of  the  church  and  of 
the  ministry,  is  of  the  utmost  importance.  With- 
out it,  all  must,  by  this  time,  confess  that  the 
church  cannot  be  sustained,  and  the  truth  propa- 
gated, with  vigor  and  effect.  With  it,  we  have 
the  blessing  of  God,  a  good  conscience,  and  the 
fulfilment  of  our  highest  desires. 

And  the  motives  to  co-operation  with  the  dea- 
cons— how  infinitely  strong  are  they  ! 

We  all  profess  to  regard  the  souls  of  men  as 
of  countless  value.  Can  they  be  saved  without 
the  gospel  ?  Can  that  be  extended — can  it  even 
continue  to  be  preached  where  it  now  is — unless 
we  have  the  mutual  and  warm  concurrence  of  all 
the  departments  in  the  church  ?  Truth  is  more 
precious  than  gold;  but  it  cannot  otherwise  be 
propagated  and  defended.  How  are  the  claims 
13 


146  CO-OPERATION,  ETC. 

upon  us  of  the  poor,  the  distressed,  and  the 
wretched,  to  be  met?  How  are  the  ordmances 
of  the  house  of  God  to  be  admuiistered  ?  The 
church,  and  the  ministry,  therefore,  are  obhged  to 
co-operate  with  the  deacons,  by  their  duty  of  obe- 
dience to  Christ;  by  their  own  solemn  pledge, 
given  at  their  election  and  ordination ;  by  their 
love  to  the  souls  of  men  ;  by  their  reverence  for 
the  truth  of  God  ;  by  their  obligations  to  the  poor, 
the  suffering  and  distressed  ;  and  by  their  estimate 
of  the  ordinances  and  privileges  of  the  gospel  of 
Christ. 


IMPORTANCE  OF  FAITHFULNESS.     147 


CHAPTER  IX. 

IMPORTANCE  OF  FAITHFULNESS  ON  THE  PART  OF 
THE  DEACONS. 

The  remedy  for  unfaithfulness. — The  Deacons'  vow. — 
Their  several  relations. — Benefits  of  faithfulness. — Re- 
capitulation.— Conclusion. 

Faithfulness  is  a  duty  enjoined  on  all  Chris- 
tians. It  is  made  the  condition— while  its  oppo- 
site is  denounced  as  most  repugnant  to  God — of 
the  highest  rewards.  "  Be  thou  faitliful  unto 
death,"  said  the  adorable  Redeemer  to  his  labor- 
ing and  persecuted  disciples,  "  and  I  will  give  you 
a  crown  of  life."  The  importance  of  possessing 
this  quality  is  necessarily  increased  in  any  par- 
ticular case,  in  proportion  as  persons  are  elevated 
in  office  and  influence  in  the  church.  The  fidelity 
of  the  deacons,  therefore,  is  next  in  consequence 
to  that  of  the  pastor  himself,  since  such  is  their 
relative  position  in  the  kingdom  of  Messiali. 


148  IMPORTANCE    OF 

Unhappily,  cases  of  unfaithfulness  on  the  part 
of  deacons  are  but  too  frequent,  and  too  little  re- 
garded.    This  dereliction  must  arise  either  from 
incompetence,  neglect,  or  design.     To  be  faithful, 
deacons  must  know  their  duty,  they  must  cheer- 
fully and  willingly  do  their  duty,  and  they  must 
do  it  at  the  proper  time,  and  in  the  proper  spirit, 
and    manner.     Look  into    the    condition  of   the 
church  whose  deacons   are  not  faithful  to  their 
trust,  and  what  do  you  see  ?     Every  interest  is 
languishing.     Her    financial   affairs    become   de- 
ranged and  ruined  ;  the  poor  and  miserable  weep 
unpitied  and  unrelieved ;   the  sick  are  unvisited ; 
the  pastor,  discouraged  and  overwhelmed,  is  either 
broken  down  in  spirit,  and  inefficient,  or  leaves  for 
a  more  promising  field  in  which  to  bestow  his 
toils  ;  the  congregations  fall  off,  and  cease  to  feel 
further  interest;   the  genius  of  desolation  broods, 
in  darkness  and  silence,  over  the  whole  scene  !  Is 
this  picture  overdrawn  ?     Would  to  God  it  were. 
On  the  contrary,  its  reality  may,  at  this  moment, 
be  found  in  a  thousand  places  all  over  our  broad 
land.     It  reveals  one  of  the  most  prolific  causes 
why  so  many  of  our  churches  have  ceased  to 
exist ;  and  why  so  many  others  have  been  divided, 
scattered,  and  led  into  destructive  errors,  of  every 


FAITHFULNESS.  149 

grade  and  complexion.  These  arc  the  natural  re- 
sults. The  church  so  officered,  cannot  retain  a 
competent  ministry.  She,  therefore,  satisfies  her- 
self, either  with  none  at  all,  or  with  the  services 
of  those  who  do  more  harm  than  good.  Un- 
qualified pastors  often  complete  the  ruin  which 
such  deacons,  by  making  way  for  them,  had  only 
begun.  They  are,  whatever  their  age  may  be, 
"not'fces,"  who  cannot  teach,  who  will  not  learn, 
who  are  liable  to  be  corrupted  by  the  first  errorist 
who  will  flatter  and  persuade  them,  and  too  often, 
after  having  perverted  the  church,  they  consign  it 
over,  as  a  trophy,  into  the  possession  of  the 
enemy.  Some  such  disaster,  unless  the  peculiar 
favor  of  God  interpose,  always  occurs.  Never 
did  a  church,  whose  deacons  were  unfaithful  to 
their  trust,  permanently  flourish. 

But  is  there,  perhaps  we  shall  now  be  asked, 
no  remedy  ?  Can  such  officers  never,  by  any 
scriptural  process,  be  displaced  and  succeeded  by 
others  ? 

If  a  lay  member  is  dehnquent  he  is  subjected 

to  discipline,  and  either  reformed  or  excluded.     A 

pastor  who  is  unfaithful  is  readily  removed,  and 

if  he  is  heterodox  or  disorderly,  he  is  deposed, 

13* 


150  IMPORTANCE    OF 

probably  excommunicated.  But  if  a  man  is  a 
deacon,  no  matter  whether  he  is  faithful  or  un- 
faithful, he  remains  in  office  during  life,  unless  he 
please  to  change  his  residence,  or  is  expelled  from 
fellowship  for  immorality  !  Who  ever  heard  of  a 
deacon's  being  deposed,  or  even  impeached,  for 
want  of  fidelity  in  his  office  ?  I  never  did  !  Why 
is  this  ?  Has  none  of  them  ever  materiaUy  erred  ? 
This  cannot  be  supposed.  Does  it  not  go  fer  to 
prove  that  there  is  something  on  this  point  exceed- 
ingly wrong,  and  singularly  unguarded?  The 
church,  I  answer,  has  the  same  remedy  here  that 
she  has  in  all  other  cases.  God  has  said  to  her, 
and  she  cannot  misunderstand  the  admonition  : — 
"  Thy  brother — thou  shalt,  in  any  wise,  not  suffer 
sin  upon  him."*  If  the  failure  arise  from  the 
want  of  knowledge,  the  deacons  must  be  instructed. 
Does  the  minister  neglect  or  decline  to  do  this  ? 
Then  the  sin  becomes  his.  Does  the  unfaithful- 
ness of  these  officers  result  from  slothful  indiffer- 
ence ?  Then  they  must  be  admonished.  If  it  is 
voluntary  and  continued,  and  neither  instruction 
from  the  pastor  nor  admonition  from  the  church 
can  procure  reformation,  they  must  be  impeached, 

*  Levit.  xix.  17. 


FAITHFULNESS.  151 

and,  by  a  re^lar  vote,  removed.  The  same  power 
that  makes  an  officer,  is  always  competent,  when 
he  proves  himself  unworthy  or  unfaithful,  to  dis- 
place him.  Nor  is  it  a  matter  of  indifference 
whetlier  this  is  done.  She  dare  not  decide  to 
take  no  notice  of  it,  and  let  it  pass.  No  church 
can,  injustice  to  herself,  to  the  interests  of  reli- 
gion, or  to  her  duty  to  the  King  in  Zion,  suffer 
such  an  incubus.  She  is  obliged  to  remove  them. 
If  she  does  not,  she  becomes  a  partaker  in  their 
sins,  and  must  expect  from  the  hand  of  God  sum- 
mary chastisement.  But  we  turn  to  more  pleasant 
considerations. 

The  importance  of  fidelity  on  the  part  of  the 
deacons,  if  they  are  in  the  proper  exercise  of  reU- 
gion,  will  be  deeply  impressed  upon  their  minds 
by  the  fact  that  the  vows  of  God  are  upon  them. 
When  they  accepted  the  office,  and  when  the 
hands  of  ordination  were  imposed,  they  bound 
themselves  in  the  most  solemn  and  fearful  manner, 
to  Christ  and  to  his  people,  that  they  would,  Jeho- 
vah aiding  them,  fulfil  its  duties.  A  noble  and 
generous  heart  will  stand  by  that  pledge,  even  for 
its  own  sake,  to  the  last  hour. 

But,  irrespective  of  all   this,  they  cannot  but 


152  IMPORTANCE  OF 

remember  that  the  great  day  is  near  when  they 
must  answer,  before  the  judgment  seat  of  Christ, 
for  their  stewardship.  If  they  fear  God,  they 
must  seek  earnestly  to  be  faithful  in  all  things. 

Another  consideration,  not  less  affecting,  is  the 
consequences  which  are  to  be  produced  upon  all 
the  interests  of  religion.  What  these  are,  at  least 
negatively,  we  have  already  seen.  On  the  other 
hand,  adversity  and  languishing  will  not  long  cha- 
racterize a  church  whose  deacons  are  faithful  to 
the  interests  committed  to  their  charge. 

But,  chiefly,  they,  as  all  others,  must  and  will 
be  impelled  to  duty  by  the  love  of  Christ,  This 
is  the  glorious  impulse,  always  dwelling  in  every 
christian  heart,  and  always  effectual. 

When  every  man — ministers,  deacons,  and  peo- 
ple,— is  in  his  place,  and  fully  animated  with  the 
spirit  of  his  calling,  what  power  can  successfully 
resist  them  ?  "  The  voice  of  a  king  is  heard  in 
the  camp,"  and  the  nations  will  bow  to  his  su- 
premacy. Then,  and  not  till  then,  will  the  church 
be, — "  Clear  as  the  sun,  fair  as  the  moon,  and  ter- 
rible as  an  array  with  banners." 

Let  us  now,  briefly,  recapitulate  the  topics 
which  have  passed  in  review. 


FAITHFULNESS.  153 

111  our  first  chapter  we  considered  the  nature 
of  the  Dcaconship ;  in  the  second,  the  quahiica- 
tions  requisite ;  and  in  the  tliird,  the  forms  of 
election  and  ordination  to  the  office  ;  in  the  fourth, 
fifth,  and  sixth,  we  examuied  the  duties  of  dea- 
cons, and  satisfactorily  settled  their  number  and 
character;  in  the  seventh,  we  investigated  the 
subject  of  female  assistants  to  deacons,  or  deacon- 
esses ;  in  the  eighth  chapter,  we  have  seen  the 
obligations  of  the  church  and  the  ministry,  to  co- 
operate with  the  'deacons ;  and  in  the  ninth,  the 
importance  of  their  fidelity  to  all  die  interests  of 
religion. 

I  have  only  to  add,  in  conclusion,  that  the  day, 
as  I  trust,  is  not  distant,  when  all  deacons  will 
fully  understand  and  faithfully  discharge  their  high 
vocation.  Well  does  it  befit  a  lofty  spirit,  filled 
with  the  love  of  God,  and  burning  with  quench- 
less zeal  for  the  salvation  of  men.  Nor  this  only, 
but  when  every  christian,  whatever  his  position 
or  calliiig,  shall  awake  and  shake  hunself  from  the 
dust,  and  "the  feeblest  among  them  become  as 
David  before  tlie  Lord."  Then,  indeed,  will  the 
blessings  of  God  descend  upon  his  churches,  as 
the  refresliing  showers  of  spring.     Songs  of  re- 


154     IMPORTANCE  OF  FAITHFULNESS. 

joicing  will  cheer  the  vales,  and  hosannahs  of  tri- 
umph echo  from  every  hill  and  mountain.  "  The 
wilderness  and  the  solitary  place  shall  be  glad  for 
them,  and  the  desert  shall  rejoice  and  blossom  as 
the  rose." 


AKEBICAN  BAPTIST  PUBLICATION  SOCIETY. 
THE 

DEACONSHIP: 

BY 

R.  B.  C.  HOWELL,  D.D. 


From  the  "  Christian  Review,'^  Rev.  S.  F.  Smith,  Editor. 
'<  This  is  the  only  treatise  or  extended  discussion  on  the 
office  of  Deacons,  which  we  have  ever  seen.  The  subject 
has  occasionally  called  forth  an  essay  at  a  minister's 
meeting,  which  has  been  read,  approved,  and  laid  aside ; 
but  nothing  of  any  importance  has  before  found  its  way 
to  the  press.  The  treatise  of  Dr.  Howell  is  calm,  clear, 
full,  and  Scriptural.  In  nine  brief  chapters,  it  exhibits  the 
origin  and  nature  of  the  Deacon's  office,  the  qualifications 
for  the  office,  the  election  and  ordination  of  deacons,  their 
general  and  specific  duties  ;  the  means  of  creating  and  sus- 
taining the  necessary  revenues  in  the  church,  deaconesses, 
the  duty  of  the  churches  and  the  ministry  to  co-operate 
with  the  deacons,  and  the  importance  of  faithfulness  on 
the  part  of  the  latter.  The  chapter  on  the  revenues  of 
churches  seems  to  us  to  have  but  a  loose  connection  with 
the  subject  under  discussion  ;  and  although  its  principles 
may  be  sound,  we  doubt  if  it  had  not  better  been  reserved 
for  another  occasion.  Dr.  H.  takes  the  ground  that  the 
office  of  deacons  is  perpetual,  and  that  their  calling  is  to 
take  care  of  all  the  temporalities  of  the  church.  Hence 
he  assigns  to  them  not  only  the  customary  duties  of  dea- 
cons, but  also,  ex-officiis,  the  duties  which  in  New  England 
are  commonly  devolved  on  a  Society's  Committee  and 
Treasurer.  He  recommends  that  a  person  elected  by  the 
church  to  the  office  of  deacon  should  be  presented  by  the 
church  to  the  pastor,  who  is  to  pray  for  and  afterwards 
to  lay  his  hands  upon  him.  He  suggests  that  in  all  well 
regulated  Baptist  churches,  there  are  female  members  who 


AMERICAir  BAPTIST  PT7B1ICATIOK  SOCIETY. 

are,  though  not  by  express  designation,  deaconesses;  that 
they  are  needed  and  useful  in  all  countries,  and  in  oriental 
ones,  indispensable.  Our  modern  churches  have  retained 
the  office  without  the  name.  The  volume  is  a  sound  and 
sober  exhibition  of  opinions  which  we  believe  are,  on  the 
whole,  capable  of  being  sustained  by  Scripture, — well 
arranged  and  well  expressed.  We  hope  the  little  book 
will  find  a  wide  circulation,  and  do  good  in  promoting 
among  the  churches  uniformity,  order  and  piety." 


From  the  "  Baptist  Memorial,^'  Rev.  Dr.  Babcock,  Editor. 
"  Pastors  and  Deacons  should  both  study  this  treatise." 


From  the  Rev.  J.  Newton  Brown,  Editor  of  the  "  Encyclo- 
pedia of  Religious  Knowledge.'' 
"  Several  years  ago,  I  was  led  to  examine  the  subject 
of  the  Deaconship  with  special  care,  and  regretted  that 
there  was  nothing  in  the  shape'  of  a  treatise  upon  it  at  all 
satisfactory.  I  then  embodied  my  inquiries  in  the  form 
of  a  sermon,  and  delivered  it  on  two  occasions,  by  request, 
at  the  ordination  of  Deacons.  The  sermon  was  so  much 
approved  as  to  be  solicited  for  the  press  ;  but  I  never  pub- 
lished it.  I  mention  the  fact  to  show  you  the  preparation 
of  my  mind  for  examining  with  care  the  work  of  Dr. 
Howell ;  and  I  rejoice  to  say  that  I  found  the  subject 
treated  by  him  so  perfectly  to  my  satisfaction,  that  I  shall 
never  be  tempted  again  to  give  my  discourse  to  the  press. 
I  fervently  bless  the  Head  of  the  Church  for  directing  Dr. 
Howell's  attention  to  the  subject.  I  thank  him,  and  I  thank 
the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society,  for  a  work  on 
the  office  of  Deacons,  which  I  trust  is  destined  to  form  an 
era  in  our  churches,  of  clear,  definite,  settled,  scriptural 
views  and  practice.  How  really  astonishing  it  is  to  a  re- 
flecting mind,  that  while  so  many  hundreds  of  volumes 
have  been  written  on  the  Pastoral  office,  and  with  such  excel- 
lent effect,  we  have  had  absolutely  nothing  before,  worthy 
to  be  called  a  treatise  on  the  office  of  Deacon — though 
the  latter  is  of  equally  Divine  Institution  and  Authority — 
and  scarcely  inferior  in  importance,  all  things  considered, 
to  the  well-being  and  efficiency  of  a  church  of  Christ. 
Such  a  work  is  truly  an  augury  of  better  times." 


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